Cardinals score five runs in final two innings to sweep the Padres
ST. LOUIS - After a quiet first four innings offensively for both teams, the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres combined to score 11 runs in the final five innings, including five runs by the Cardinals in the final two innings to earn a 6-5 win.
The Padres scored the first run of the game in the 5th inning on an RBI single to left field by Alexei Ramirez that scored Ryan Schimpf. San Diego added a second run in the inning on an RBI double to left field by Travis Jankowski to score Ramirez. Jankowski was thrown out at third base trying to stretch the double into a triple to end the top of the 5th inning with the Padres ahead 2-0.
Aledmys Diaz drove in St. Louis' first run of the night in the bottom of the 6th inning on a single to left field that scored Greg Garcia and trimmed San Diego's lead to 2-1.
The Padres extended their lead with two runs in the top of the 7th inning. Ramirez doubled on a ball just out of the reach of Cardinals' center fielder Randal Grichuk that brought home Schimpf and made the San Diego edge 3-1. Ramirez scored the Padres' fourth run of the night thanks to an RBI single by Alex Dickerson. Ramirez had a big night for San Diego with three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Yangervis Solarte added another run for San Diego with a solo home run in the 8th inning to boost the Padres' advantage to 5-1.
But the Cardinals came surging back in the bottom of the 8th inning with four runs to tie the game at 5-5. First, an RBI single by Jedd Gyorko brought home Jeremy Hazelbaker to cut the score to 5-2 Padres.
St. Louis then brought the tying run to the plate later in the inning after a Kolten Wong pinch-hit double put runners on second and third base with one out. Stephen Piscotty stepped in the batter's box and delivered a game-tying three-run home run that just made it over the outfield wall to tie the score at 5-5.
The Cardinals' late inning magic continued in the 9th inning. Tommy Pham led off the inning with a double to left field. The Padres then elected to intentionally walk Garcia and put runners on first and second base. After a Hazelbaker sacrifice advanced Pham and Garcia to second and third base, San Diego intentionally walked Gyorko to load the bases for Diaz. Diaz served up the game-winning hit on a single to left field that scored Pham and gave the Cardinals a 6-5 victory.
Jonathan Broxton, who pitched a scoreless 9th inning, earned the win for the Cardinals to even his season record at 2-2.
Carlos Villanueva, who allowed the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 9th inning, picked up his first loss of the season to even his record at 1-1 on the year.
The Cardinals open a three game set with the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday night at Busch Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.