LDN - Sports

Rangers complete sweep of Cardinals

[June 20, 2016] ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues play just down the street from Busch Stadium at Scottrade Center.

The Texas Rangers came into town this weekend and made St. Louis' other major sports franchise sing the blues.

Jurickson Profar lined a two-run, two-out single in the top of the eighth inning Sunday, lifting Texas to a 5-4 win that sent the Cardinals plummeting to their first winless homestand of five or more games in 33 years.

Profar's hit scored Rougned Odor and Mitch Moreland, capping an 8-2 road trip for the Rangers (45-25), who own the American League's best record and lead the West Division by 8 1/2 games over Seattle.

"Baseball is nine innings, 27 outs," Profar said. "We're out there battling."

Profar owes Moreland his chance to join the fray. After Odor slashed a double, Moreland, who crushed a 456-foot homer in the fourth that tied for the longest by a visiting player in the stadium's 11-year history, earned the rare honor of an intentional walk as the potential go-ahead run.

It appeared St. Louis manager Mike Matheny's book-defying move would pay off when reliever Matt Bowman (1-2) induced a first-pitch grounder to short from Elvis Andrus. But Moreland, who was running hard, took advantage of a casual play by Aledmys Diaz and beat his throw at second.

Moreland was originally called out by second base umpire Mark Ripperger, but a replay review quickly corrected the mistake.

"I felt my foot hit the bag before I heard the ball hit his glove," Moreland said. "I thought I was safe all the way."

That set the stage for Profar, who worked the count to 2-2 before producing the game-winning hit in his first pinch-hit appearance of the year.

"Once we got to the pitcher's spot, I wanted Jurickson up there because I wanted someone who could control the at-bat," Texas manager Jeff Banister said.

Matheny didn't have normal eighth inning options Seung Hwan Oh or Kevin Siegrist at his disposal because each pitched the series' first two games. Veteran Jonathan Broxton warmed up throughout the inning, but Matheny liked Bowman's 93 mph sinker even as the rookie found deeper and deeper trouble not necessarily of his making.

"We got the ground ball we wanted," Matheny said. "But credit (Moreland) with making a hustle play. They played the game right this whole series."

The Cardinals (35-33) created a chance to salvage one win from the empty homestand in the ninth. After Greg Garcia's leadoff single, Matt Carpenter drew a two-out walk, the 12th time he reached base in the series, and the runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.

But Rangers closer Sam Dyson retired Diaz on a roller to second for his 13th save, dropping St. Louis to 15-21 at home.

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Rangers left fielder Nomar Mazara (30) hits a sacrifice fly off of St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Mike Leake (not pictured) during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

"This team is way better than anyone's giving us credit for," Matheny said. "The proof is in what you do and we haven't done it on a consistent basis. It's frustrating for all of us."

St. Louis grabbed a 4-3 lead with two runs in the sixth. Catcher Eric Fryer, starting for just the seventh time this year, coaxed a two-out bases loaded walk off Tony Barnette to snap the tie that was created by Matt Holliday's one-out homer to right.

Holliday added a sacrifice fly to his afternoon, while Nomar Mazara also homered and drove in two runs for Texas. Stephen Piscotty homered in the second for the Cardinals, his eighth of the year.

Neither starter was around for the decision. Texas left-hander Martin Perez pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and four runs with three walks and no strikeouts. St. Louis' Mike Leake worked six innings, giving up eight hits and three runs - two earned - while fanning five and walking none.

Barnette (4-2) picked up the win for the Rangers, which polished off an 8-2 road trip.

"We're all looking forward to getting back to Texas and seeing our kids for Father's Day," center fielder Ian Desmond said.

NOTES: St. Louis activated RHP Seth Maness (right elbow inflammation) from the 15-day DL Sunday and optioned LHP Dean Kiekhefer to Triple-A Memphis. Maness pitched five games on a rehab assignment between Memphis and Springfield, allowing one run in five innings. ... Texas C Robinson Chirinos (hand) was back in the lineup Sunday after getting hit by Trevor Rosenthal with a 97 mph fastball in the ninth inning Saturday. ... Cardinals C Yadier Molina got a rare day off Sunday, marking just the seventh time in 68 games he hadn't started.

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