Braves beat Cardinals in 10 innings in first DH game

Ozzie Albies hit the winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give the Atlanta Braves a 3-2 victory over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.

Adam Duvall, who started the inning at second base, easily beat center fielder Dylan Carlson’s throw to the plate to score the winning run. Duvall had advanced to third on Zack Short’s sacrifice bunt.

The winning pitcher was Pierce Johnson (3-1). Rookie Chris Roycroft (1-2) suffered the loss.

St. Louis had runners on the corners in the 10th inning when Alec Burleson grounded out to Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson, who stepped on an inning-ending double play.

The win evens the season series between the two clubs at 2-2. Atlanta is 7-3 in extra-inning games, while St. Louis has fallen to 5-7.

Neither starting pitcher received a decision.

St. Louis starter Kyle Gibson threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits, two walks and six strikeouts. Gibson threw 100 pitches — his second-most of the season — and had his best outing since throwing seven scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs on June 14.

Atlanta starter Charlie Morton pitched six innings, allowing one run on six hits, one walk and four strikeouts. Morton was coming off a comeback after allowing eight runs (seven earned) in 11 2/3 innings in his previous two All-Star Game appearances.

St. Louis scored its first run in the sixth inning when Masyn Winn tripled — a play originally set up by a single and a two-hit error off right fielder Adam Duvall — and an RBI single by Burleson.

Nolan Arenado extended St. Louis’ lead to 2-0 with a solo home run, his ninth, off reliever Dylan Lee.

Atlanta’s Eddie Rosario tied the game with a two-out, two-run homer in the seventh off reliever Ryan Fernandez. The homer, his eighth, hit the top of the brick wall in right field and bounced into the stands. It was Rosario’s first game at Truist Park since rejoining the team on July 8.

The match started 13 minutes later than expected due to morning rain.

–Field Level Media