By MATT PIKE
Shay Whitcomb's RBI double capped a six-run rally for the San Francisco Giants with two outs in the eighth inning, stealing a game from the St. Louis Cardinals and winning 7-6 at Oracle Park to complete a series sweep.
After the Giants took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI single from Bryce Eldridge, driving in Drew Gilbert, the Cardinals went on to score six unanswered runs thrugh the next five innings first tying the game in the second inning on a RBI single by Nolan Gorman scoring Joshua Báez after his one out double. In the third inning, St. Louis took the lead with rookie catcher Leo Bernal hitting a three run home run, bringing home Iván Herrera and Alec Burleson, putting the Cardinals up 4-1 after three innings.
After a scoreless fourth inning the Cardinals added another run of insurance in the fifth, again courtesy of Bernal, grounding into a double play to and driving in Torres, and José Fermín's sacrifice fly in the sixth inning added the final run for St. Louis bringing home Thomas Saggese to put the Cardinals up 6-1 after six innings. The game looked in St. Louis' hands, until the eighth inning when the Giants rallied for six runs, all with two outs.
With a runner at first and two outs in the eighth inning, Cardinals reliever Cade Winquest hit Brett Harris with a pitch and then walked Turner Hill loading the bases before Eldridge followed with a two-run single to left, scoring Drew Cavanaugh and Harris, to make it 6-3. George Soriano replaced Winquest, and Jonah Cox hit an infield single that drove in Hill for another run to make it a two run game and in the next at bat Jung Hoo Lee tied the game with a two-run double off the wall in right, bringing home Eldridge and Cox, later scoring the winning run on Whitcomb’s double to center.
St. Louis starter Andre Pallante held the Giants to a run on five hits in five innings striking out four while not issuing a walk. Soriano fell to 6-5 on the season taking the loss throwing 0.1 innings and giving up three hits and two runs. At the plate, Gorman was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Bernal was 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.
St. Louis will be off on Thursday and return to Busch Stadium on Friday to host the Chicago White Sox. Matthew Liberatore (5-14, 5.57 ERA, 144Ks) is set to start for the Cardinals while the White Sox have not announced a starting pitcher. First pitch is at 7:15pm, coverage will begin at 7:05 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).
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