ST. LOUIS – In their first head-to-head matchup of the year, the St. Louis Cardinals emerged victorious over their rival Chicago Cubs with a score of 7-6.
Key hits from Matt Carpenter, Brendan Donovan, and Lars Nootbaar in the eighth inning helped the Cardinals stage a comeback, scoring four runs and securing the win.
The Cardinals showcased their City Connect jerseys during Saturday evening’s game, which was the series opener following the postponement of Friday’s game due to weather.
Read the Associated Press recap below…
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Brendan Donovan’s two-run single and Lars Nootbaar’s RBI triple fueled the St. Louis Cardinals’ rally in the eighth inning, leading them to a 7-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night.
With a sellout crowd in attendance, the Cardinals scored four crucial runs with two outs in the eighth, securing their ninth win in 11 games after a previous seven-game losing streak.
Matt Carpenter’s pinch-hit single tied the game, with Alec Burleson sliding in to touch home plate just in time to put the Cardinals in the lead. Brendan Donovan then followed with a crucial single, driving in a run to make it 6-4 and forcing Cubs pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. out of the game. Lars Nootbaar’s triple added another important run off Porter Hodge.
In the ninth inning, John Helsley allowed RBI singles by Mike Tauchman and Cody Bellinger but ultimately secured his 16th save of the season by retiring Christopher Morel on a groundout.
The Cubs took the lead in the seventh inning after Michael Busch reached base when the ball slipped out of Paul Goldschmidt’s glove. Patrick Wisdom’s RBI double put the Cubs ahead temporarily.
JoJo Romero, who got the final out in the seventh inning, pitched a scoreless eighth and earned the win.
Highlights include Nico Hoerner’s two-run double in the fourth inning, Masyn Winn’s RBI double in the sixth inning, and the Cardinals debuting their City Connect jerseys with distinct red shirts.
Miles Mikolas had a solid start for the Cardinals, pitching six innings and allowing three runs on four hits.
Looking ahead, Chicago’s Javier Assad will face St. Louis ace Sonny Gray in the series finale on Sunday night.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Updates for the Cubs and Cardinals on the injury front are as follows:
Chicago Cubs: Ian Happ was sidelined due to illness, while Drew Smyly returned after a month on the injured list. Jordan Wicks and Daniel Palencia also had noteworthy performances in their rehab assignments.
St. Louis Cardinals: Giovanny Gallegos returned to the team after a rehab stint, and Manager Oliver Marmol provided updates on Keynan Middleton’s progress.
UP NEXT
In the next game, Chicago’s Javier Assad will face St. Louis ace Sonny Gray in the series finale on Sunday night.
