ST. Louis (AP) _ Matt Wieters drove in a three runs and stole a base for just
the third time in six years, leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the Los
Angeles Dodgers 11-7 Thursday for a four-game sweep of the NL champions.
Making his first start this season, the 32-year-old Wieters hit a sacrifice fly
in the second inning and a two-run double in the fifth that put the Cardinals
ahead 8-7. With runners at the corners in the fifth, Wieters stole second as
Matt Carpenter struck out, his first steal since April 27, 2017, and just the
ninth of his major league career.
Harrison Bader was hit by pitches with the bases loaded in both the second and
fifth innings. He was the first player to force in runs twice in a game while
getting hit since Toronto’s Reed Johnson on April 16, 2005, according to the
Elias Sports Bureau.
Jose Martinez matched a career high with four hits, including an RBI double off
Yimi Garcia in a two-run sixth. St. Louis set a season high for runs and swept
the Dodgers in a four-game series for the first time since July 15-18, 2010.
David Freese and Walker Buehler hit solo home runs in the second inning for Los
Angeles, and Kike Hernandez homered to cap a four-run third.
Giovanny Gallegos (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his first appearance
of the season for the Cardinals to win in relief of Michael Wacha, who allowed
seven runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Pedro Baez (0-1) gave up four runs _ three earned _ and four hits in one
inning.
Trailing 7-4, St. Louis started to close when Jedd Gyorko singled in a run in
the third. The Cardinals’ four-run fifth included a run-scoring error by second
baseman Max Muncy.
MAKING MOVES
Cardinals: Utility player Yairo Munoz will rejoin St. Louis as a 26th player
for this weekend’s series against the Cincinnati Reds in Mexico.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (1-0, 4.50) is to start Saturday against the Reds
and RHP Tanner Roark (0-0, 5.79). Wainwright is one win shy of 150. The teams are
playing a two-game series in Monterrey, Mexico.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI