Tyler O’Neill absorbed a walk-off hit by pitch in the ninth inning to push the St. Louis Cardinals past the visiting Colorado Rockies 5-4 Tuesday.
Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly for the Cardinals, who won for the 11th time in their last 12 home games.
Cardinals starting pitcher Jose Quintana allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in five-plus innings. Ryan Helsley (7-1) pitched the ninth inning to earn the victory.
Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings while striking out four. Dinelson Lamet (1-2) allowed the ninth-inning run to take the loss.
Tommy Edman broke the scoreless tie with a solo homer in the fourth inning, then Goldschmidt’s two-run blast in the fifth pushed the Cardinals’ lead to 3-0.
Quintana held the Rockies hitless through five innings, then Colorado broke through in the sixth inning. Wynton Bernard, Connor Joe and Charlie Blackmon hit consecutive singles to produce one run.
Brendan Rodgers loaded the bases with a single and ended Quintana’s night. Jose Iglesias hit into a run-scoring forceout off Jordan Hicks to cut the lead to 3-2.
With two outs in the seventh inning, Bernard reached on an infield single and Joe walked. Blackmon greeted reliever Packy Naughton with a two-run double that put Colorado up 4-3.
The Cardinals tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the inning. They loaded the bases with Yadier Molina’s leadoff single, Dylan Carlson’s one-out base hit and O’Neill’s hit by pitch.
Carlos Estevez relieved Lucas Gilbreath and allowed Goldschmidt’s sacrifice fly before escaping further trouble by getting Nolan Arenado to fly out.
Lamet walked Andrew Knizner and Lars Nootbaar to start the ninth inning, then Carlson reached on a bunt single to load the bases. With the Rockies deploying five infielders and two outfielders, Lamet hit O’Neill to end the game.
–Field Level Media