LDN - Sports

Grichuk's 5 RBIs help Cardinals beat Diamondbacks

[June 30, 2017] PHOENIX -- St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Randal Grichuk got mad. Then he got hot.

Grichuk hit a go-ahead three-run homer with two outs in the seventh inning after Matt Carpenter was intentionally walked, then added a two-run double in a five-run eighth inning when the Cardinals pulled away for a 10-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Thursday.

"I would think every player, any time anybody gets intentionally walked to face you, you have got get (mad) and think that was a mistake and go up there with confidence and try to make them pay," Grichuk said.

"It definitely shows there's not much respect. It feels good to come in and do well in that situation."

Pinch-hitter Luke Voit doubled with two outs in the seventh before reliever Rubby De La Rosa (0-1) threw three balls to Carpenter. The D-backs then waved him to first base instead throwing another pitch.

Grichuk hit a 1-2 breaking ball 421 feet down the left field line for a 5-3 lead. It was his third homer in five games. De La Rosa said he was trying to throw the ball in the dirt.

"You have an established major league hitter who has a tremendous track record," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said of Carpenter.

"We talked about it pregame in certain situations, we would rather have the guy on-deck beat us. Not a very traditional move, to put the go-ahead run on base. But I felt the matchup and the stuff with Rubby would be better for the next hitter."

The Cardinals (37-41) loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning on an infield error, a single and a walk before pinch-hitter Tommy Pham singled in two runs.

After Pham stole second, Grichuk doubled in two more runs and scored on Stephen Piscotty's double to make it 10-3. Grichuk's five RBIs were one shy of his career high achieved against the Mets in 2015.

Paul Goldschmidt and Jake Lamb had bases-empty homers and Gregor Blanco had a double, a triple and an RBI for the D-backs (50-30), who lost a second straight home game for only the second time this season.

The D-backs have won 13 of 17 overall and are 30-12 at home in their franchise-record start.

Lance Lynn (6-5) gave up three runs on four hits in six innings, benefiting from Grichuk's homer to get the victory. He struck out seven and walked one.

Jedd Gyorko had two hits and Jose Martinez had a two-run single for the Cardinals, who have won four of five. They led 5-2 in the first game of the series Friday before losing in 10 innings.

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Cardinals left fielder Randal Grichuk (15) hits a two RBI double against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

"Just the kind of series we need to put in the memory bank," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "This is more like what we need to do. This is how it should be. That first game was one of the best games we played all season. We just didn't finish it up right."

Lynn retired the first seven he faced before Ketel Marte doubled in the third inning and scored on a double by Blanco, who broke an 0-for-18 slump. Marte's hit was his first with Arizona since being recalled Wednesday. He was obtained in the Taijuan Walker-Jean Segura offseason deal from Seattle.

Grichuk and Gyorko singled around a walk to Piscotty to load the bases with no outs in the fourth inning before Martinez hit a two-run single for a 2-1 lead. Arizona starter Patrick Corbin struck out two while pitching out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam to leave it there.

Goldschmidt led off the fourth inning with his 19th homer to tie it at 2. He leads the majors with 66 RBIs.

Blanco tripled to open the sixth inning and after Goldschmidt was intentionally walked with one out, Blanco scored on Jake Lamb's RBI forecourt to make it 3-2.

Corbin gave up two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out six and walked two.

Lamb hit his 18th homer with one out in the ninth inning.

NOTES: Arizona OF A.J. Pollock (groin) is scheduled to play a rehab game at Triple-A Reno on Friday, but general manager Mike Hazen said Pollock is unlikely to be activated during the homestand that ends Sunday. Arizona OF Yasmany Tomas (groin) has begun a rehab assignment in the rookie Arizona League. ... Cardinals 2B Alex Mejia was 0-for-2 in his major league debut after being recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday. ... Arizona recalled rookie INF Ildemaro Vargas from Triple-A Reno and returned RHP Braden Shipley to Reno before the game.

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