Tyler O’Neill hit the tiebreaking three-run homer to lift the St. Louis Cardinals past the visiting Atlanta Braves 6-3 Sunday.
Tommy Edman and Lars Nootbaar hit solo homers for the Cardinals, who erased a 3-2 eighth-inning deficit to win for the 12th time in their last 15 games.
Dansby Swanson hit a three-run homer for the Braves, whose streak of five consecutive series victories came to an end.
Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright allowed two runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. Ryan Helsley (9-1) earned the victory, and Giovanny Gallegos racked up his 13th save in 19 opportunities.
Braves starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi allowed two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Reliever A.J. Minter (5-4) took the loss after allowing two eighth-inning homers.
After rain delayed the start of the game for 59 minutes, both pitchers settled in quickly. The teams combined to produce just three baserunners in the first three innings.
The Braves’ Austin Riley led off the fourth inning with a single and advanced to third base on Eddie Rosario’s two-out single, but Vaughn Grissom grounded out to strand them.
Odorizzi held the Cardinals hitless for 5 2/3 innings until Nootbaar poked an opposite-field homer just inside the left field foul pole to break the scoreless tie.
Brendan Donovan, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado followed with singles to put the Cardinals up 2-0 and knock Odorizzi from the game.
The Braves surged ahead 3-2 in the seventh inning. Rosario led off with a single and Michael Harris II hit a one-out single.
After Robbie Grossman grounded into a forceout, Helsley relieved Wainwright and allowed Swanson’s three-run homer.
Edman tied the game 3-3 with his leadoff homer in the eighth inning off Minter. Nootbaar walked, then Riley, charging in from third base, failed to field Donovan’s bunt cleanly.
Minter struck out Goldschmidt and Arenado, but O’Neill’s three-run homer put the Cardinals up 6-3.
–Field Level Media