Jays blow it again

ST. LOUIS Matt Carpenter’s first grand slam was a memorable one. Meaningful, too.

Carpenter launched a game-ending slam in the 11th inning and the St. Louis Cardinals, saved by Randal Grichuk’s tying, two-run homer with two outs in the ninth, beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-4 Thursday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

“It was great,” Carpenter said. “Big win for us. Any time you’ve got a doubleheader on the schedule it’s nice to get the game over with. So if I would have hit into a double play there or something that wouldn’t have been good for anybody. Glad it worked out.”

Carpenter finished with two hits and five RBIs. Grichuk had two hits and drove in three runs.

“Great win,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “The guys just kept playing the game and didn’t let anything keep them down and that’s great to see from our club right now. Push late and get back in it and hold on to it and then take it in the end and take it right there with Carp. Big, big at-bat.”

Kolten Wong opened the Cardinals 11th with a triple off Ryan Tepera (1-1). The Blue Jays intentionally walked the next two batters before getting a flyout.

Toronto called on left-hander J.P. Howell to face the lefty-hitting Carpenter. With the count full, Carpenter sent a drive into the right field stands.

“We were in a good position,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “We had the lead. You always like to win that first game in a double dip and it got away. Yeah, it’s frustrating.”

Toronto is the only team in the major leagues that hasn’t won a series this season. The Blue Jays also are the lone club that has yet to win two straight games.

Later that afternoon, Dexter Fowler, Greg Garcia and Matt Adams each had three hits as the Cardinals beat Jays, 6-4 on Thursday night to sweep the doubleheader.