Nothing happened for eight innings. Then everything did. Arizona scored all four of its runs in the top of the ninth at Busch Stadium on Tuesday, escaping with a 4-3 victory over St. Louis before 23,560 fans.
Eduardo Rodriguez set the tone before the bullpen finished it. The left-hander worked 6.2 innings, allowing 3 hits and no runs while striking out 5 and walking 3 on 95 pitches, carrying a 2.27 ERA into the night. Kyle Leahy matched him nearly pitch for pitch, going 6.1 innings with 3 hits allowed, no runs, 3 strikeouts and 2 walks on 85 pitches. For eight innings, neither offense could break through.
The ninth changed everything. Nolan Arenado's go-ahead double to left scored Gabriel Moreno and sent Ildemaro Vargas to third, giving Arizona a 1-0 lead. Lourdes Gurriel then singled to center, scoring both Vargas and Arenado to push the advantage to 3-0. Jorge Barrosa scored on a passed ball by Jimmy Crooks to make it 4-0. St. Louis reliever Matt Svanson absorbed all four runs — 3 earned — in just 0.1 innings, taking the loss to fall to 2-2 on the season with a 7.27 ERA. Kevin Ginkel earned the win, his third of the year, with a clean ninth inning, and Brandyn Garcia recorded his first career save with 0.1 innings of work.
The Cardinals did not go quietly. Alec Burleson doubled to right in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Lars Nootbaar to make it 4-1. Blaze Jordan followed with a sacrifice fly that brought in Fermín, and Jimmy Crooks singled to right to score Burleson, trimming the deficit to 4-3. But the rally ended there, one run short.
Arizona snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 39-39. St. Louis, which had won two straight, fell to 42-34.