Braves Rally In 9th To Stun Cardinals

(@FahadShabbir)

Braves rally in 9th to stun Cardinals

Washington, Oct 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Oct, 2019 ) :The Atlanta Braves rallied with three runs in the ninth inning to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 and take a commanding lead in their Major League Baseball playoff series.

The Braves, stymied all day by St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright, broke through against Cardinals closing pitcher Carlos Martinez.

Josh Donaldson got the rally going with a double to start the ninth.

After two outs and an intentional walk to catcher Brian McCann, Dansby Swanson tied the game with a double to left field that plated one run.

Adam Duvall, who entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, followed with a single that drove in two runs.

The Braves took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five National League Division series and will try to close out the set in game four in St. Louis on Monday.

The winner of the series will take on either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Washington Nationals in the NL Championship Series with a World Series berth on the line.

The Nationals hosted the Dodgers later Sunday in a series tied at 1-1.

Until the Braves erupted in the ninth, it was a pitching duel in St. Louis.

Atlanta's rookie hurler Mike Soroka limited the Cardinals to one run on two hits while striking out seven in his playoff debut.

St. Louis scored their lone run in the second inning when Marcell Ozuna led off with a double and scored on Matt Carpenter's sacrifice fly.

Wainwright, 38, turned back the clock, pitching 7 2/3 scoreless innings and striking out eight to keep the Cards in front until he exited to a standing ovation but then had to watch from the dugout as the contest slipped away.