Wong scores in dramatic fashion for Cardinals’ win
CARDINALS 3, PIRATES 2
ST. LOUIS — Kolten Wong has a flair for the dramatic.
Wong led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run off Richard Rodriguez, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
“You see guys that in those big situations tend to have the ability to get it done,” Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny said. “You really don’t want guys going up there thinking home run because that normally ends up a pop up on the infield, but whatever Kolten’s doing I’m not going to get in the way. If he’s thinking home run, keep thinking it in those situations.”
Austin Meadows had tied the score in the top half with a home run off Bud Norris (2-1), who blew a save for the first time in 12 chances.
Wong homered on a slider from Rodriguez (1-2), his second game-ending home run this season and the fourth of his big-league career. Pittsburgh lost for the sixth time in eight games and has lost four of its past five games against the Cardinals.
It was Wong’s first home run since May 18 and fourth this season.
“He’s got such quick hands, he necessarily doesn’t have to cheat,” Matheny said. “It’s when he’s timed up and he timed everything up there and the ball jumped for him.”
Marcell Ozuna homered in the second, the 100th of his career and first in 105 plate appearances at Busch Stadium with the Cardinals. Colin Moran tied the score in the fifth with his first home run since May 22, connecting on a changeup from Luke Weaver.
NATIONALS 5, BRAVES 3 (14) Nationals ace Max Scherzer singled as a pinch hitter in the 14th inning and scored the tiebreaking run on Wilmer Difo’s triple, sparking visiting Washington
over Atlanta. In his third big league pinchhit appearance, Scherzer singled up the middle against Miguel Socolovich (0-1) and sped home.
CUBS 7, METS 1 (14) Despite striking
out 24 times, Chicago beat New York when pinch-hitter Javier Baez homered to cap a sixrun burst in the 14th inning. Cubs reliever Luke Farrell (2-2) struck out seven in five scoreless innings, with Brandon Morrow getting the final three outs.
DODGERS 12, ROCKIES 4 Joc Pederson hit two home runs, Matt Kemp went deep during an eight-run seventh inning and visiting Los Angeles routed Colorado. Pederson turned in his fifth multi-home run game and first since Sept. 10, 2016, at Miami. He also doubled and singled to tie a career high with four hits.
GIANTS 2, PHILLIES 0 Andrew Suarez combined with two relievers to pitch a three-hitter, lifting host San Francisco over Philadelphia. Suarez (2-4) shined in his eighth career start. The 25-year-old left-hander struck out five and walked none in seven innings of three-hit ball. Tony Watson pitched the eighth, and Hunter Strickland handled the ninth for his 12th save.
PADRES 8, REDS 2 Rookie left-hander Eric Lauer (2-3) pitched five strong innings, drove in his first run and picked off Joey Votto, leading host San Diego to a victory against Cincinnati.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ROYALS 5, ATHLETICS 4 Jorge Soler hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning, and host Kansas City bounced back after wasting a four-run lead to defeat Oakland.
TIGERS 7, BLUE JAYS 4 John Hicks’ tworun single in the eighth inning broke open a tie game and host Detroit went on to beat Toronto.
TWINS 7, INDIANS 1 Eddie Rosario hit a two-run home run and Brian Dozier drove in two runs to support Lance Lynn’s third consecutive victory, leading Minnesota past visiting Cleveland. RED SOX 5, ASTROS 4 Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas Razorbacks) and Christian Vazquez homered during a three-run seventh inning that lifted host Boston over Houston.
YANKEES 8, ORIOLES 5 Giancarlo Stanton and Miguel Andujar homered to help Masahiro Tanaka win his fifth consecutive decision, and New York extended Baltimore’s losing streak to seven games.
INTERLEAGUE
BREWERS 5, WHITE SOX 0 Jhoulys Chacin combined with two relievers on a five-hitter, and visiting Milwaukee backed him with four home runs in a victory over Chicago.