Goldschmidt 2 HRs, scores walk-off run, Cards beat Tigers

Paul Goldschmidt homered twice and scored the game-ending run on Lars Nootbaar’s single in the 10th inning as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Wednesday. Goldschmidt was intentionally walked to open the 10th and executed a one-out double steal with automatic runner Tommy Edman. 

Nolan Arenado was intentionally walked. After a fielder’s choice for the second out, Nootbaar lined a single to right field off Michael Fulmer (5-6) and St. Louis improved to 11-5 in extra innings. It was the first walk-off hit in Nootbaar’s big league career.

“It’s pretty unbelievable honestly,” he said. “I always wanted to know what it felt like, but now it’s here.” The Cardinals led 2-1 entering the ninth. Miguel Cabrera hit a two-out pinch double to right field off St. Louis closer Alex Reyes. Harold Castro, the third Tigers pinch hitter of the inning, drove in Cabrera with a soft single to center, giving Reyes his third blown save in 31 chances.

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Cardinals starter Jon Lester permitted one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts in five innings. T.J. McFarland (3-0) pitched a scoreless 10th and has not allowed a run in 18 2/3 innings over 12 August appearances.

Tarik Skubal gave up Goldschmidt’s homers in the first and third innings but held the Cardinals to one additional hit and had 10 strikeouts in five innings.

“Tip your hat off to Goldschmidt, he got two really good swings off of him,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “For a while, those were the only two swings that looked good at all. He had really dominated that lineup and was coming right at them with various pitches.”

Goldschmidt hit the first pitch he saw 427 feet into the left-field bleachers for his 900th career RBI. He hit his 21st homer of the season in his next at-bat. It was his 18th career multi-homer game and first since Sept. 13, 2019, versus Milwaukee.

“I obviously had those two home runs, but I came up two other times with guys in scoring position and wasn’t able to get the job done,” Goldschmidt said.

“Just a good job by the team right there to pick me up.” Jonathan Schoop had an RBI single in the fifth to get Detroit within 2-1.

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