Five-run rally pushes Cardinals past Twins

Matt Carpenter triggered a five-run rally to lead the St. Louis Cardinals past the visiting Minnesota Twins 6-4 in the second half of their interleague doubleheader. The Twins (27-18) won the first game 7-3. Carpenter hit a single, scored a run and later drew a run-scoring walk as the Cardinals (18-17) scored five times in the third inning.

Matt Carpenter triggered a five-run rally to lead the St. Louis Cardinals past the visiting Minnesota Twins 6-4 in the second half of their interleague doubleheader. The Twins (27-18) won the first game 7-3.

Carpenter hit a single, scored a run and later drew a run-scoring walk as the Cardinals (18-17) scored five times in the third inning. They erased a 2-0 deficit against losing pitcher Randy Dobnak (6-3), who retired just eight batters. Cardinals starting pitcher Daniel Ponce de Leon allowed two runs on five hits in three innings. Reliever Genesis Cabrera (3-1) earned the victory and closer Giovanny Gallegos earned his fourth save.

The Twins struck first by taking a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Miguel Sano poked a leadoff single and Brent Rooker smacked a two-run homer. In the third inning the Twins threatened again. Josh Donaldson hit a leadoff double and Nelson Cruz walked. But Cardinals left fielder Tyler O'Neill made a diving catch to rob Rooker of a potential two-run double.

Dobnak lost control in the bottom of the inning as the Cardinals sent 11 batters to the plate. Carpenter hit a single up the middle leading off. Dobnak hit Matt Wieters with a pitch, walked Harrison Bader and hit Tommy Edman to force home a run.

Paul DeJong walked on four pitches to force home a run. Brad Miller drove home Bader with a fielder's choice grounder, then Rangel Ravelo's RBI single into left field made it 4-2. Caleb Thielbar relieved Dobnak and walked Carpenter to make it 5-2. Thielbar finally ended the rally by getting Wieters to fly out during a 19-pitch, 10-minute battle.

Donaldson led off the fifth inning with a single off of reliever John Gant. Cruz drew a walk and both runners moved up on Eddie Rosario's groundout. Sano hit a run-scoring grounder to cut the lead to 5-3. Kolten Wong expanded that lead to 6-3 with his RBI infield single in the sixth inning. Cruz blasted his 15th homer of the season to cut the lead to 6-4 in the seventh.

--Field Level Media