In a game dominated by pitching for eight innings, former St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado delivered the decisive blow against his former team, sparking a dramatic ninth-inning rally that lifted the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium.
For much of the evening, both teams struggled to generate offense as starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Kyle Leahy matched each other nearly pitch for pitch. The game remained scoreless through eight innings, with quality pitching and timely defensive plays keeping runners off the scoreboard.
Everything changed in the top of the ninth.
Facing Cardinals reliever Matt Svanson, Arizona finally found the breakthrough it had been searching for all night. Gabriel Moreno opened the inning with a single before Pavin Smith worked a walk, putting immediate pressure on the St. Louis bullpen. After Smith was replaced by pinch-runner Ildemaro Vargas, Arenado stepped into the batter’s box and delivered the moment that changed the game.
The veteran third baseman crushed a double into left field, driving home Moreno and giving Arizona its first lead of the contest. It was a particularly meaningful hit for Arenado, who spent years as a fan favorite in St. Louis before joining the Diamondbacks.
The Diamondbacks quickly capitalized on the momentum. Moments later, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. lined a single that scored both Vargas and Arenado, extending Arizona’s lead to 3-0. The pressure continued when pinch-runner Jorge Barrosa later crossed the plate on a passed ball, giving the visitors what appeared to be a comfortable 4-0 advantage heading into the bottom of the inning.
However, the Cardinals refused to go quietly.
St. Louis mounted a furious comeback attempt against Arizona closer Paul Sewald. With runners aboard, Alec Burleson drilled an RBI double to right field that scored Lars Nootbaar and cut the deficit to three runs. Blaze Jordan followed with a sacrifice fly, bringing the Cardinals within 4-2. Moments later, catcher Jimmy Crooks added an RBI single that scored Burleson, trimming the lead to just one run and energizing the Busch Stadium crowd.
With the tying run on base and the winning run potentially coming to the plate, Arizona turned to Brandyn Garcia to preserve the victory. Garcia responded by striking out rising Cardinals star JJ Wetherholt, ending the threat and securing the dramatic win for the Diamondbacks.
While Arenado’s late-game heroics stole the spotlight, Arizona’s pitching staff laid the foundation for the victory. Eduardo Rodriguez was outstanding, allowing only three hits across 6.2 scoreless innings while keeping the Cardinals’ lineup off balance throughout the night. Kevin Ginkel earned the win after a clean eighth inning, helping Arizona snap a three-game losing streak.
Leahy was nearly as effective for St. Louis, surrendering just three hits over 6.1 strong innings, but the Cardinals were unable to provide enough offensive support until the game’s final moments.
The Cardinals’ best scoring opportunity before the ninth came in the sixth inning when Ivan Herrera extended his on-base streak to 19 games with a walk. Jordan Walker and Lars Nootbaar followed with hits to load the bases, but St. Louis failed to capitalize as Arizona escaped the jam with a crucial defensive play.
Ultimately, the game belonged to Arenado. In a contest where offense was nearly impossible to find, the former Cardinals standout delivered the clutch extra-base hit that ignited a four-run ninth inning and proved to be the difference. His timely double not only fueled Arizona’s victory but also handed his former club another frustrating late-inning defeat.
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