Edmundo Sosa hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning, Tyler O’Neill made a running catch for the final out and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 Tuesday night.
It was a rewarding victory for the Cardinals, who found out before the game that Jack Flaherty, their ace right-hander, will be sidelined for a while due to what manager Mike Shildt termed a “significant” oblique injury.
O’Neill led off the ninth with a single against Blake Treinen (1-2) and stole second base. He scored when Sosa hit a sharp grounder into left field. Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was playing in near the infield grass and was unable to get a glove on the ball.
The Dodgers had a chance in the ninth after pinch-hitter Yoshi Tsutsugo drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on Cody Bellinger‘s single. Mookie Betts then lined a ball to the warning track in left, but O’Neill made a leaping grab to give Alex Reyes his 16th save.
John Gant threw six shutout innings, but the right-hander did not factor in the decision after Matt Beaty‘s two-run homer in the seventh off Giovanny Gallegos (3-1) tied it.
Final game of the series tonight, 7:15 with the pregame and the first pitch at 8:10 on KIRX.