Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s tiebreaking RBI double in the 9th inning lifted the Baltimore Orioles to an 8-7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium.
The Baltimore Orioles edged the St. Louis Cardinals 8-7 on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand delivering a tiebreaking RBI double in the 9th inning after the Orioles had squandered a seven-run lead. The win moved Baltimore to 65-68, while St. Louis fell to 66-68 in a game that tested both bullpens and highlighted the injury woes plaguing both rosters.
Orioles’ Early Explosion
Baltimore jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning, capitalizing on a Cardinals pitching staff that has been stretched thin by injuries. Leody Taveras and Pete Alonso both homered in the outburst, with Alonso continuing his torrid series after a four-hit, four-RBI performance in Tuesday’s 13-1 rout. The early cushion seemed to put the Orioles in control, but the Cardinals’ offense refused to fold.
Cardinals’ Comeback Falls Short
St. Louis chipped away at the deficit, eventually tying the game at 7-7 before Encarnacion-Strand’s heroics. The Cardinals’ resilience was evident, but their bullpen, already depleted with Andre Pallante and Hunter Dobbins on the 15-day IL and Ryan Helsley on the 60-day IL, could not hold the line in the 9th. Despite the loss, St. Louis showed fight, and the series now heads to a rubber match on Thursday.
Turning Point: The 9th Inning
With the game tied at 7-7, Encarnacion-Strand stepped to the plate and delivered a double that scored the go-ahead run, giving Baltimore an 8-7 lead they would not relinquish. It was a moment of clutch hitting that erased the earlier collapse and underscored the Orioles’ ability to win close games, even when their bullpen wobbled.
Injury Report
Both teams are dealing with significant injuries. The Orioles placed Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation, joining Felix Bautista and Ryan Mountcastle on the 60-day IL. The Cardinals are even more decimated, with Masyn Winn, Everson Pereira, Blaze Alexander, and Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day IL, plus Pallante and Dobbins on the 15-day IL and Rajcic and Helsley on the 60-day IL. These absences have forced both teams to rely on depth, and the strain showed in Wednesday’s seesaw affair.
What It Means
Baltimore’s win keeps them within striking distance in the AL East, while St. Louis remains mired in a crowded NL Central race. The series finale on Thursday will be pivotal for both teams as they jockey for playoff positioning. The Orioles have already secured the series with two straight wins, but the Cardinals will look to salvage a split and build momentum.
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s 9th-inning RBI double was the game-winner.
- Pete Alonso and Leody Taveras homered for Baltimore.
- St. Louis erased a 7-run deficit but fell short.
- Both teams are dealing with multiple key injuries.
- The series concludes Thursday at Busch Stadium.
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