ST. LOUIS (AP) – The St. Louis Cardinals secured a thrilling 6-5 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in 10 innings on Tuesday night, ending their three-game losing streak.
Rookie JJ Wetherholt contributed significantly by hitting two home runs, while an error by second baseman Juan Brito allowed the Cardinals to rally late in the game.
Wetherholt’s performance marked his first multi-homer game, having previously homered in his debut on opening day. His solo shot in the third inning tied the game at 2-2, and a two-run homer in the eighth brought the Cardinals within one run of the Guardians.
Crucial Late-Game Plays
In the ninth inning, Masyn Winn reached base due to a fielding error by Brito, which was just the sixth error committed by Cleveland this season. Winn advanced to second on a wild pitch by Cade Smith and later scored on Yohel Pozo’s double, which hit the right-center field wall.
Riley O’Brien, pitching in the 10th inning, managed to hold the Guardians scoreless despite stranding automatic runner Chase DeLauter at third base after Brito grounded out.
Decisive Moments in the Game
In the bottom of the 10th, automatic runner Thomas Saggese advanced to third on a wild pitch from Tim Herrin and scored on Nathan Church’s sacrifice fly, which narrowly beat the throw from right fielder Angel Martínez.
Additionally, Iván Herrera hit his first home run of the season for the Cardinals, who improved to 4-0 in extra-inning games and marked their seventh comeback win of the season.
Guardians’ Early Lead
The Guardians initially took control of the game with a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning, thanks to George Valera’s tiebreaking double and a two-run double from Martínez. José Ramírez also contributed with a first-inning home run off pitcher Michael McGreevy, moving him past Bernie Williams and Bobby Bonilla into 11th place among switch-hitters with a total of 288 home runs.
Upcoming Matchup
Looking ahead, the Guardians will send right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi, with a record of 0-2 and an ERA of 5.74, to face the Cardinals’ right-hander Dustin May, who holds a record of 1-2 with a 9.45 ERA, in their next game on Wednesday.