Sunday’s Sport Report | Cardinals 6, Braves 3

ST. LOUIS — One evening after Tyler O’Neill introduced within the profitable run for the Cardinals when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, he discovered a unique strategy to get the job accomplished.

O’Neill’s three-run homer with two outs within the eighth broke a 3-3 tie and despatched the Cardinals to the win over the Braves at Busch Stadium.

The blast, over the middle subject, was the third house run of the sport for the Cardinals as they received for the second time within the three-game sequence and reached 20 video games above .500 (74-54) for the primary time this season.

O’Neill didn’t begin the sport however got here in after Albert Pujols pinch-hit for Corey Dickerson within the sixth.

The Cardinals trailed 3-2 going into the eighth after Dansby Swanson hit a three-run homer off Ryan Helsley within the seventh. Tommy Edman’s house run tied the sport to set the stage for O’Neill’s tenth homer of the season.

Right here is how the gane broke down:

On the plate: The Cardinals didn’t have a success for the primary 5 2/3 innings towards Jake Odorizzi earlier than Lars Nootbaar tucked a house run simply contained in the left subject foul pole for the primary run of the sport. Consecutive singles from Brendan Donovan, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado adopted to supply their second run … Edman’s leadoff homer got here on the primary pitch within the eighth, his tenth of the 12 months … After Nootbaar and Donovan reached base, it appeared the Braves have been going to get out of the inning when Goldschmidt and Arenado struck out – till O’Neill slammed his homer over the middle subject wall.

On the mound: Adam Wainwright allowed the Braves leadoff hitter to succeed in base in 5 innings, however he managed to maintain them from scoring till the seventh. Helsley relieved him with two outs and two runners on base, earlier than Swanson circled a 100-mph fastball for the house run … Helsley acquired the subsequent out then struck out the facet within the eighth … Giovanny Gallegos pitched the ninth, permitting a two-out double.

Key stat: Coming into the sport, Helsley had allowed solely one among 18 inherited runners to attain this season, on June 4 towards the Cubs.

Price noting: Jack Flaherty will make another rehab begin in Memphis earlier than rejoining the Cardinals rotation. Flaherty will pitch Wednesday with no pitch-count limitations after which is projected to make his first begin for the Cardinals on Labor Day, Sept. 5, at house towards the Nationals … Pujols was not within the lineup for Sunday evening’s recreation towards Odorizzi, who’s one among six pitchers Pujols has had 10 or extra at-bats towards in his profession with no hit, going 0-of-10. Probably the most at-bats Pujols has had with no hit is 14, towards John Axford.

Trying forward: The Cardinas play the primary of three video games towards the Reds on Monday evening in Cincinnati with Miles Mikolas the scheduled starter.