Masyn Winn’s RBI triple in the seventh inning Thursday night snapped a tie and helped the visiting St. Louis Cardinals edge the San Diego Padres 2-1.
Matthew Liberatore (2-1) came out on top in a classic pitchers’ duel, permitting only three hits and a run in six innings with three walks and six strikeouts. San Diego’s Michael King left after six innings, allowing just one hit and one run while walking two and fanning six.
Jordan Walker led off the seventh with a double against Bradgley Rodriguez (0-2). After Nolan Gorman fanned, Winn’s looping fly ball fell in front of right fielder Nick Castellanos and rolled into the corner, allowing Walker to easily score.
St. Louis’ bullpen took care of matters from there. George Soriano and JoJo Romero worked scoreless innings, followed by Riley O’Brien with a 1-2-3 ninth for his 11th save in 13 opportunities.
San Diego scored its only run in the first. Manny Machado drew a two-out walk, reached second on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr. and scored when Xander Bogaerts lined a check-swing single to right.
That was basically it for the Padres’ offense. Liberatore faced the minimum over the next four innings and didn’t allow another hit until Miguel Andujar grounded a single into center with two outs in the sixth. Machado followed with a groundout to end the inning.
Tatis led off the seventh by beating out an infield hit but was thrown out trying to steal second, a call which was confirmed after a manager’s challenge. That was their last baserunner of the game.
Alec Burleson tied the game in the fourth when he jumped on a first-pitch changeup from King and lined it 378 feet into the seats in right. It was Burleson’s sixth homer and 30th RBI.
St. Louis missed on a chance to add insurance in the ninth after Walker doubled and Gorman walked to start the inning. But Jason Adam quashed the rally there with the help of a failed sacrifice bunt by Winn.
