Jordan Walker hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to help the St. Louis Cardinals avoid a three-game sweep by beating the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 6-5 Sunday in the series finale.
Walker’s home run, his 16th of the season, came against reliever Seranthony Dominguez (4-5) and broke a 5-5 tie. Ryan Helsley allowed a single and walked a batter in the ninth, but stranded both runners to earn his 11th save.
John King (2-1) got the win despite allowing a run on three hits in the eighth inning, his only inning on the mound.
Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo home run and a two-run double for the Cardinals (66-83). Arenado and Andrew Knizner each added two hits.
Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson scattered three runs and five hits over five innings, walking three and striking out three.
The Phillies trailed 5-3 until Alec Bohm hit a solo home run in the eighth. Philadelphia made it 5-5 on a run-scoring single by Nick Castellanos later in the inning.
Goldschmidt’s home run, his 25th of the season, broke a 3-3 tie in the fifth inning. The Cardinals increased their lead to 5-3 when Alec Burleson doubled and scored on Nolan Arenado’s single.
The loss ended Philadelphia’s two-game winning streak. The Phillies (81-68) own sole possession of the first wild-card spot in the National League.
Phillies starter Taijuan Walker went seven innings and yielded five runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and a walk.
The Cardinals took a 3-0 lead in the third. Goldschmidt began the scoring with a double that drove in Juniel Querecuto and Knizner, and Arenado followed with an RBI double that scored Goldschmidt.
The Phillies tied the game with a three-run fourth. Bryce Harper made it 3-1 when he scored on Bryson Stott’s sacrifice, Bohm scored on a fielder’s choice and J.T. Realmuto pulled the Phillies even when he scored on Querecuto’s throwing error.
Bohm, Stott and Trea Turner each had two hits for the Phillies.
–Field Level Media