By MATT PIKE
Just two days after hitting his first Major League home run, rookie JJ Wetherholt recorded his first walk off in the big leagues, a two RBI single pushing the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals held the lead until the ninth inning in the game, first scoring in the bottom of the first. Wetherholt singled to lead off the game, and stole second base, scoring with one out on a single from Alec Burleson. With two outs, Burleson stole second base, and then scored himself as Nolan Gorman singled to push the St. Louis lead to 2-0, a lead the Cardinals held until the eighth inning.
Michael McGreevy was sharp in his first start of the season for St. Louis. McGreevy gave up no hits and walked two batters through six innings, striking out five, before giving way to the bullpen and Riley O'Brien in the seventh. O'Brien gave up the first two hits of the game but got through the inning scoreless, and was relieved by JoJo Romero in the eighth, striking out one through a hitless one inning.
In the bottom half of the eighth, Jordan Walker led off with a walk for St. Louis and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Victor Scott II. Scott though reached first on a fielding error by Rays catcher Nick Fortes, and after Wetherholt popped out for the first out, Iván Herrera doubled to scored Walker, moving Scott II to third. Burleson drove in another run one batter later, flying out to center field, allowing Scott II to come home, extending the lead to 4-0.
Matt Svanson began the ninth on the mound for the Cardinals with the save situation not in play. Jonathan Aranda singled, but Svanson rebounded and got the first out on a pop out by Jake Fraley. With one out, Junior Caminero would walk, but again Svanson bounced back getting the second out on another pop out, this time from Cedric Mullins. With runners on first and second, and two outs, Tampa Bay began their rally to tie the game.
Chandler Simpson singled with two outs first, his speed would force issues as Wetherholt would attempt to flip the ball to first base, rushing the flip and overthrowing Burleson, allowing Aranda to score and moving Caminero to third base. Ryne Stanek replaced Svanson, and on a defensive indifference call Simpson would move to second base, before Stanek gave up a single to Carson Williams, driving in both Caminero and Simpson to narrow the lead to one run. On a 3-2 count, Williams would run, and Fortes singled into the gap in right field, Williams racing home to tie up the game at 4-4.
Bryan Baker retired St. Louis 1-2-3 to end the ninth inning and force the game into extra innings, and with Ben Williamson starting the 10th at second base, Yandy Díaz singled off Stanek to drive in the Rays second baseman. Jonny DeLuca pinch ran for Díaz, and after Stanek struck out Aranda for the first out, he would strike out Fraley which would turn into a double play with Pedro Pagés throwing out DeLuca at second with Tampa leading 5-4.
Griffin Jax came on for the save for the Rays, and Nathan Church started the bottom of the 10th at second base for St. Louis. Walker walked once again to put runners at first and second, and Scott II again laid down the sacrifice bunt, this time getting thrown out at first, but moving Church to third and Walker to second, setting up the game winning hit for Wetherholt, who one the first pitch singled into right field to score both runs for the 6-5 walk off win.
Stanek earned the win for the Cardinals, while also blowing his first save of the season, giving up two runs, just one earned, on three hits and striking out two in 1.1 innings pitched. At the plate, Wetherholt was 2-for-5 with two RBI's and a stolen base. Burleson was 1-for-3 with two RBI's and a stolen base as well.
St. Louis and Tampa Bay wrap up their series on Sunday. Dustin May will make his Cardinals debut to close out the series against former Cardinal Steven Matz. First pitch is at 1:15pm, coverage will begin near the start at 1:05 on KY102 (102.5 FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.