Giants salvage Cardinals series with rubber game win

[July 08, 2021]  Mike Yastrzemski and Donovan Solano had RBI doubles, Tyler Rogers pitched out of an eighth-inning jam and the San Francisco Giants avoided a sweep from visiting St. Louis Cardinals with a 5-2 victory on Wednesday night.

Left-hander Alex Wood (8-3) won his third consecutive decision with seven innings of one-run ball and Darin Ruf provided late insurance with a two-run homer as the Giants scratched out a win after 5-3 and 6-5 losses to open the series.

After an RBI double by Nolan Arenado was offset by a bases-loaded hit batsman drawn by Jason Vosler in the bottom of the first inning, the Giants took a 2-1 lead in the second on Yastrzemski's 33rd RBI of the season.
 

Pinch-hitting for Vosler in the fifth, Solano increased the margin to 3-1 with his double. The Giants lead the majors with 26 RBIs from pinch hitters this season.

San Francisco also is the majors' far-and-away leader in RBIs from substitutes, and Ruf padded that total with his two-run shot in the eighth after the Cardinals had gotten within one in the top of the inning. The homer was the eighth of the season for Ruf, who had entered the game in the sixth inning as a defensive replacement at first base.

The Cardinals had trimmed their deficit to 3-2 in the top of the eighth when Matt Carpenter doubled, went to third on a single by Dylan Carlson and scored on a single by Paul Goldschmidt.

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Wood (57) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

But with one out and the potential tying run at second base, Rogers got Arenado to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Jake McGee worked around a Paul DeJong double in the ninth for his 17th save.

Wood allowed just three hits and two walks in his seven innings. He struck out six.

Right-hander Johan Oviedo (0-5) took the loss after giving up two runs and three hits in four innings. He walked four and struck out three.

Wilmer Flores had two hits for the Giants and Carlson had two for the Cardinals. San Francisco out-hit St. Louis 8-7.

--Field Level Media


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