SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Alec Burleson hit a go-ahead RBI single with one out in the ninth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals rallied against San Francisco closer Ryan Walker for a 9-8 win over the Giants on Tuesday night.
Both teams were fighting to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but San Francisco was eliminated.
Brendan Donovan drove in the tying run against Walker (5-7) with his fourth double of the night after Victor Scott hit a leadoff single.
Iván Herrera hit a three-run homer and Nolan Arenado a solo drive in the seventh as St. Louis pulled within 8-7.
Matt Svanson (4-0) pitched the eighth for the win before JoJo Romero recorded the first two outs of the ninth and left with the tying run on second after Willy Adames’ double. Riley O’Brien entered and struck out Wilmer Flores for his sixth save.
Heliot Ramos homered in the sixth inning and Patrick Bailey had an RBI double for the Giants.
Logan Webb allowed three first-inning runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks over six innings.
Jung Hoo Lee and Adames each hit RBI singles in a four-run third inning and Christian Koss also contributed an RBI single.
Down 3-0, the Giants rallied in the third when two runs scored on third baseman Arenado’s wild throw home after fielding a grounder by Ramos. Adames hit an RBI single to tie the game then Matt Chapman added a go-ahead sacrifice fly.
Key moment
On Saggese’s broken-bat single in the first, the top part of the bat became lodged into the face mask of home plate umpire Malachi Moore. Giants athletic trainer Dave Groeschner came out to check on Moore, who remained in the game.
Key stat
Donovan’s four doubles were a career best. He had two in a game seven times previously, most recently on April 6 in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Boston.
Up next
RHP Sonny Gray (14-8, 4.33 ERA) pitches the series finale Wednesday for St. Louis opposite Giants lefty Robbie Ray (11-8, 3.65).