Albies scores winning run in 10th as Braves beat Cardinals 3-2 in opener of split doubleheader

Eddie Rosario hit a tying two-run home run for Atlanta in the seventh. He has hits in five of eight games since returning to the Braves on April 8 after starting the season with the Nationals. He said he heard fans chanting, “Eddie! Eddie!”

“I feel blessed,” Rosario said. “I want to thank Braves Country. I always love hearing my name.”

Despite Rosario’s home run, the Braves had to create offense in other ways. Their two sacrifice bunts in the game set a season record.

“It’s a different team now than it has been the last few years,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

The Cardinals had a chance to take the lead in the top of the 10th, but fell short. With Pedro Pagés at third base for St. Louis, Alec Burleson lined into a double play by Pierce Johnson (3-1).

St. Louis right-handed pitcher Kyle Gibson allowed just three hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings before the Cardinals’ bullpen squandered a 2-0 lead.

Gibson was pulled from the game after giving up a single to Travis d’Arnaud with two outs in the seventh. Rosario then hit a home run off Ryan Fernandez.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Gibson was still in the game in the seventh inning on a “hitter-to-hitter” basis. “If he let a player go, I’d go get him,” Marmol said.

Nolan Arenado hit a home run for St. Louis.

The scheduled opening match of the three-match series on Friday evening was postponed due to rain, forcing the double header to be played instead.

Atlanta starter Charlie Morton allowed one run on six hits in six innings.

Burleson’s single off Morton drove in Masyn Winn to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Arenado led off the seventh with his ninth home run of the season, off Dylan Lee.

The doubleheader was the Cardinals’ fifth of the season, the third of the month and the second against Atlanta. The teams split a doubleheader in St. Louis on June 26.

On Saturday morning, rain fell again, causing the first leg of the first match to be postponed by 13 minutes.

Cardinals: Marmol said nagging hip stiffness influenced closer Ryan Helsley’s decision to skip the All-Star Game. Helsley, who leads the majors with 32 saves, was available Saturday.

Atlanta right-handed pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach (3-4, 4.43) will face right-handed pitcher Miles Mikolas (7-8, 5.13) in the final game of the series on Sunday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb