Yadier Molina's walk-off single allows Cardinals to blank Marlins

[June 17, 2021]  Yadier Molina delivered a walk-off RBI single as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the visiting Miami Marlins 1-0 Wednesday afternoon to complete a three-game sweep.

The Cardinals are 6-0 against the Marlins this season, having allowed just six runs.

Cardinals starting pitcher Johan Oviedo threw seven scoreless innings while allowing six hits, striking out four and walking none. Reliever Ryan Helsley (4-4) got the last four outs to earn the victory.

Losing pitcher Sandy Alcantara (4-6) went the distance for the Marlins, who have lost 11 of their past 12 road games. Alcantara struck out seven batters, walked one and allowed six hits and an unearned run in 8 1/3 innings.

Alcantara also hit Edmundo Sosa in the wrist with a seventh-inning pitch. Sosa initially remained in the game but later exited in double switch.

Paul Goldschmidt reached on an error by shortstop Jazz Chisholm Jr. leading off the ninth, and Matt Carpenter walked with one out. That set the stage for Molina, who pulled a 0-2 slider into the left field corner to decide the game.

Oviedo retired the first 10 batters until allowing Jon Berti reached on an infield single in the fourth inning. Jesus Sanchez followed with a hit-and-run single to send Berti to third base.

Berti was thrown out trying to score on Jorge Alfaro's grounder to first base, and Lewin Diaz struck out to end the threat.

Tyler O'Neill led off the Cardinals' half of the fourth with an infield single, and he took second on Chisholm's throwing error. That extended O'Neill's on-base streak to 22 games.

St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Edmundo Sosa (63) jumps to field a ground ball during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

O'Neill moved to third on a groundout. Molina reached on a fielder's choice grounder -- with O'Neill surviving a rundown -- but Sosa grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Oviedo worked out of trouble again in the fifth. Lewis Brinson and Magneuris Sierra opened the inning with singles, but Deven Marrero grounded into a double play and Chisholm hit into a forceout.

Berti hit a single leading off the sixth and Alfaro reached on a one-out infield hit, but Diaz lined out and Brinson flied out as the game remained scoreless.

--Field Level Media

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