The St. Louis Cardinals bounced back from a 14-1 loss on Tuesday to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 on Wednesday, taking the series finale. Lars Nootbaar drove in two runs, and Kyle Gibson pitched six effective innings, allowing one run and five hits. Gibson struck out six and walked two, earning his second win of the season.
“It was just a bad game yesterday, but we showed up today ready to go,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol.
Former Cardinal Jordan Montgomery pitched seven innings for Arizona, allowing three runs, two earned, and six hits.
The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, with Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras scoring on a single by Nolan Arenado and a wild pitch. Arenado has reached base safely in 23 consecutive games, tying the longest active on-base streak this season.
St. Louis added two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings, with Nootbaar’s bases-loaded double giving the Cardinals a 5-1 lead.
Arizona loaded the bases in the first inning but managed only one run, which Gibson escaped with minimal damage.
“That first inning really set the tone,” Marmol said. The Diamondbacks’ Torey Lovullo agreed, “We walked away with one run, and they felt like they got away with something.”
The Cardinals made several roster moves, optioning Jordan Walker and Zack Thompson to Triple-A Memphis and recalling José Fermín and John King.
The Diamondbacks placed right-hander Merrill Kelly on the 15-day injured list and promoted left-hander Andrew Saalfrank and right-hander Justin Martinez from Triple-A Reno.
The Cardinals’ Tommy Edman continues to rehab from wrist surgery, taking swings off a tee and progressing to batting practice from a coach and pitching machine.