O’Neill’s 3-run HR in 8th lifts Cardinals over Braves 6-3
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tyler O’Neill hit a three-run homer to interrupt an eighth-inning tie and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied previous the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Sunday night time.
Tommy Edman pulled the Cardinals even with a leadoff homer within the eighth towards A.J. Minter (5-4), who additionally gave up O’Neill’s two-out drive to straightaway middle discipline. Lars Nootbaar went deep with two outs within the sixth for the primary hit off Braves starter Jake Odorizzi.
O’Neill entered on protection within the seventh and delivered the decisive blow his first time up — instantly after Minter struck out sluggers Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado with two runners aboard. St. Louis’ rally was aided by third baseman Austin Riley’s error.
“Hitting homers is all the time enjoyable, however in a state of affairs like that, I simply needed to do my job and revel in it,” O’Neill stated. “See a great pitch to hit, see it fly (out) that means, it’s all good emotions.”
O’Neill additionally drew a game-ending stroll Saturday in a 6-5 victory for the Cardinals, who’ve received 12 of 15. They stayed six video games in entrance of second-place Milwaukee within the NL Central.
O’Neill hit simply .194 in July, however is slowly rounding again into kind.
“Everyone is aware of what sort of expertise he has, what sort of instruments he has,” St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright stated. “He’s only a massive a part of our staff. It’s good to see him get again going once more.”
St. Louis supervisor Oliver Marmol has caught with O’Neill all through his struggles.
“He’s swinging with extra confidence,” Marmol stated. “We really feel like he’s trending in the appropriate path.”
It was O’Neill’s third go-ahead homer this season, all since July 23.
“I’m simply attempting to remain within the strike zone, belief my potential there,” O’Neill stated. “Not numerous good goes to occur exterior the (strike) zone.”
Atlanta remained three video games behind the first-place New York Mets within the NL East.
Dansby Swanson put Atlanta forward 3-2 with a three-run homer off reliever Ryan Helsley within the seventh. However the Braves couldn’t maintain on and misplaced two of three in St. Louis after successful their earlier 5 sequence.
Atlanta rookie Michael Harris II went 4 for 4.
Helsley (9-1) struck out three in 1 1/3 innings. Giovanny Gallegos pitched a scoreless ninth for his thirteenth save.
Nootbaar slammed a line drive down the left-field line to interrupt a scoreless tie within the sixth, and Odorizzi by no means acquired one other out. Three extra hits in a row adopted, and Nolan Arenado chased the right-hander with an RBI single.
Eddie Rosario and Harris singled within the seventh off Wainwright earlier than Swanson went deep. Wainwright was charged with two runs and eight hits over 6 2/3 innings. He struck and 5 and didn’t stroll a batter.
The 40-year-old righty made his 18th profession begin on ESPN’s Sunday Evening Baseball, essentially the most of any energetic pitcher.
Odorizzi, acquired from Houston on Aug. 1 for reliever Will Smith, gave up two runs on 4 hits over 5 2/3 innings in his fifth begin with the Braves.
“There’s no motive why we must always dangle our heads from this recreation,” Minter stated. “That’s as shut as you will get to a World Collection recreation. It’s simply going to make us that significantly better.”
The beginning of the competition was delayed 59 minutes by rain.
BEST BUDDIES
Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina made their 322nd begin collectively, second in main league historical past behind the Detroit battery of Mickey Lolich and Invoice Freehan, who amassed 324 begins collectively from 1963-75.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: OF Ronald Acuna Jr. was held out of the beginning lineup for a second successive night time to relaxation his sore proper knee.
Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty will doubtless make his fifth and ultimate rehab begin Wednesday at Triple-A Memphis. He has been sidelined since June 27 with a proper shoulder pressure.
UP NEXT
Braves: LHP Max Fried (12-4, 2.52 ERA) faces Colorado RHP Jose Urena (2-5, 5.98) within the first of a three-game sequence Tuesday in Atlanta. Fried is 1-1 with a 2.86 ERA in 4 profession appearances towards the Rockies.
Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (10-10, 3.35) takes on Reds RHP Chase Anderson (0-0, 0.00) within the opener of a three-game sequence Monday in Cincinnati. Mikolas is 3-4 with a 5.37 ERA in 14 video games towards the Reds and has not received in Cincinnati since April 4, 2018.
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