Kepler’s 10th-Inning Double Lifts Diamondbacks Past Cardinals 8-7

A Late Rally Defines the Contest

Aristides Kepler’s double in the 10th inning provided the decisive run, lifting the Arizona Diamondbacks to an 8-7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field on Sunday. The win improved Arizona’s record to 51-48, while St. Louis fell to 51-47. The game featured a dramatic shift in momentum, with the Cardinals building a substantial lead before the Diamondbacks staged a comeback.

Cardinals Establish Early Dominance

St. Louis jumped out to a commanding 7-0 lead, capitalizing on multiple scoring opportunities in the early innings. The Cardinals’ offense began waking up in the third inning when Jordan tripled to left field, allowing Nootbaar to score. Wetherholt followed with a single that brought Jordan home, extending the lead.

Walker then doubled to left, driving in Wetherholt, and Burleson’s single to center added two more runs as Herrera scored.

The Cardinals extended their advantage in the fifth inning. Jordan singled to right, allowing Burleson and Fermín to score, pushing the margin to 7-0. St. Louis pitchers held firm through the middle innings, limiting Arizona’s response.

Eduardo Rodriguez struggled early, allowing five earned runs in 2.2 innings. Drey Jameson also faced pressure, giving up two earned runs in 2.0 innings. The Cardinals’ bullpen maintained the lead, with Andre Pallante pitching 5.1 innings and allowing three earned runs.

Diamondbacks Chip Away

Arizona began chipping away at the deficit in the sixth inning. Marte singled to center, allowing Del Castillo to score. Moreno walked, bringing Waldschmidt home, and Locklear’s walk allowed Marte to score, making it 7-3. The Diamondbacks continued to apply pressure in the seventh. Perdomo hit an inside-the-park home run to left field, scoring Del Castillo and cutting the lead to 7-5.

The momentum shifted further in the eighth inning. Nolan Arenado homered to left center, scoring Locklear and tying the game at 7-7. Philip Abner and Taylor Clarke worked scoreless innings to keep the game tied, while Ryan Thompson and Juan Morillo closed out the regular innings to force extra frames.

Extra Innings Seal the Win

The game remained deadlocked until the 10th inning. Kepler doubled to right field, allowing Barrosa to score from third base. This run proved to be the game-winner, as neither team could add to the scoreboard in the final frame. Juan Morillo earned the win with 1.1 scoreless innings, while Luis Gastelum took the loss after pitching 1.1 innings. The attendance at Chase Field was 28,069.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816184