SAN FRANCISCO -- After a disappointing end to their road slate, the Giants knew they’d need to come out strong during their final homestand of the season to have any shot at hanging around the National League Wild Card race .

They’re not off to a good start.

The Giants inched closer toward elimination after falling to the Cardinals, 6-5 , in Monday night’s series opener at Oracle Park.

At 77-80, the Giants are now 3 1/2 games behind the idle Mets and Reds for the final NL playoff spot with five games left to play.

Heliot Ramos crushed a leadoff homer against Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy and then put the Giants ahead, 4-2, with a bases-loaded, two-run single in the fourth, but the Cardinals erased the deficit by scoring four runs off Justin Verlander in the fifth.

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