O’Neill’s HR sends Cards over bickering Padres
ST. LOUIS — With the San Diego Padres squabbling amongst themselves, the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to solidify their postseason position.
Tyler O’Neill hit a go-ahead, tworun home run in the eighth inning and the Cardinals came back to beat the Padres 3-2 Saturday night after San Diego stars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. had a dugout dustup.
The Cardinals pulled two games ahead of Cincinnati for the second and final National League wild card, with San Diego and Philadelphia 21/2 games behind.
Padres starter Yu Darvish dominated the Cardinals over seven innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine. He handed a 2-0 lead over to the bullpen, but reliever Emilio Pagan (4-2) couldn’t get through the eighth.
Tommy Edman scored Harrison Bader on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1 before O’Neill drove his 28th home run of the season for a one-run lead. Giovanny Gallegos worked a perfect ninth inning for his ninth save.
“He’s had several moments like that where he’s hit a dramatic home run for us to go up late in a game,” Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright said about O’Neill. “He’s got a good approach. He knows his strengths. That’s what’s called growing up in the clubhouse right there.”
Machado shouted and cursed at Tatis during a dugout tirade in the fifth, telling the young star “it’s not about you” and “you go play baseball” after Tatis struck out looking in the inning. Tatis reacted angrily to the call by plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, and Manager Jayce Tingler was ejected when he came out of the dugout to argue.
BREWERS 6, CUBS 4 Manny Pina homered twice, Eduardo Escobar and Jace Peterson also connected, and Milwaukee clinched its fourth consecutive postseason berth with a victory over Chicago.
DODGERS 5, REDS 1 Max Scherzer pitched seven shutout innings in another dominant performance for Los Angeles in a victory over Cincinnati. Scherzer improved to 7-0 in nine starts since being traded on July 30.
GIANTS 2, BRAVES 0 Curt Casali hit a tworun single in the fourth that held up, Alex Wood made an impressive three-inning return from covid-19, and San Francisco beat Atlanta. PHILLIES 5, METS 3 Jean Segura had his first multi-home run game in almost five years and Aaron Nola snapped a nine-start winless streak, leading surging Philadelphia over New York.
ROCKIES 6, NATIONALS 0 Kyle Freeland struck out seven over six innings, Trevor Story hit a three-run home run and Colorado beat Washington.
PIRATES 6, MARLINS 3 Catcher Nick Fortes homered and singled in his major league debut, Cole Tucker had three hits and Pittsburgh beat Miami.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
BLUE JAYS 6, TWINS 2 Marcus Semien became the fifth second baseman to hit 40 home runs in a season, and Toronto moved back into a playoff position by beating Minnesota. TIGERS 4, RAYS 3 Jeimer Candelario and Dustin Garneau homered to lead Detroit over AL East-leading Tampa Bay.
INDIANS 11, YANKEES 3 A seven-run fifth inning capped by Andres Gimenez’s three-run home run led Cleveland past New York.
RED SOX 9, ORIOLES 3 Xander Bogaerts homered and drove in four runs, carrying Boston past Baltimore for its fourth consecutive win. RANGERS 2, WHITE SOX 1 DJ Peters’ pinch-hit single drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth and Texas beat Chicago.
ROYALS 8, MARINERS 1 Kris Bubic allowed two hits over 61/3 innings in his best start this season, and Kansas City beat Seattle.
INTERLEAGUE
DIAMONDACKS 6, ASTROS 4 (10) Kole Calhoun knocked in the go-ahead run with an RBI single and Daulton Varsho homered as Arizona beat Houston.