Jose Fermin hit his first major league home run to break a sixth-inning tie in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on a soggy Sunday.
In his 159th career plate appearance, the 26-year-old Fermín smacked a sinker over the left-field fence off Jesse Chavez (0-1) with Masyn Wynn on base to cap the scoring.
Two rain delays totaled 4 hours, 2 minutes. The game lasted 2:38.
The Braves added a run off Gordon Graceffo (3-0) in the seventh. Graceffo threw 1 2/3 innings. Ryan Helsley pitched the ninth for his 19th save.
Matt Olson led the Braves with three RBIs on two hits.
Chavez started the fifth for Atlanta. He gave up two runs with two outs when Willson Contreras dropped a double in shallow right field to tie it at 3.
Reliever Steven Matz surrendered two runs in the fifth. Just before the game was halted for a second time, Olson singled home two runs for a 3-1 advantage.
St. Louis went up 1-0 in the second inning off Atlanta’s Daniel Davis, who was recalled before the game and made his seventh career start and first this season.
The Braves touched St. Louis starter Sonny Gray for a run in the third on three consecutive two-out singles in the third. Nick Allen scored on Olson’s single off the wall in right field.
St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol was ejected in the bottom of the ninth. It was his fourth ejection this season.
Up next
The Cardinals return to play Friday at Arizona after the All-Star break. First pitch at Chase Field is set for 8:40. Pregame coverage by Ameran Total Access starts at 7:45 and can be heard on KTLO AM 1240.
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