Beecher scores 2 goals, St. Louis City beats Earthquakes 3-1, extends unbeaten streak to 9

Simon Beecher had two goals, Daniel Edelman opened the scoring in the seventh minute, and St. Louis City beat the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1 on to extend their unbeaten streak to nine games

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Simon Beecher had two goals, Daniel Edelman opened the scoring in the seventh minute, and St. Louis City beat the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1 on Saturday night to extend their unbeaten streak to nine games.

The Earthquakes (10-6-3) have three losses during their four-game winless streak following the World Cup break. San Jose is fourth in the Western Conference with 33 points, one more than St. Louis (8-6-5). First-place Houston has a one-point lead over Vancouver and Los Angeles FC (34 points apiece).

Eduard Löwen played an inward-arcing corner kick and the 6-foot-1 Beecher slammed home a header from 5 yards out in the 27th minute. Tomas Totland flicked a cross from the left side of the area to the back post where Beecher's first-touch finish from point-blank range made it 3-1 in the 55th.

Beecher, who had his third career multi-goal game, has a career-high tying four goals this season.

Edelman, who perfectly timed his run, slipped between a pair of defenders for a sliding first-touch goal , off a cross played by Conrad Wallem, from the center of the penalty box.

Edelman, who was acquired in January for general allocation money, has a career-high two goals this season. The 23-year-old midfielder had three goals and three assists across his first four MLS seasons, all with the New York Red Bulls.

St. Louis had just 45% possession but outshot the Earthquakes 13-7, 7-2 on target.