ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rookie Jordan Walker hit a bases-loaded triple in the seventh inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied for a 7-5 victory over the Oakland Athletics in a matchup of last-place teams on Monday night.
“It's a learning curve,” Walker said. “I've been in those situations before and didn't come through.”
Walker's first career triple capped a four-run seventh.
“When he comes through, it's exciting to see,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “Hopefully, we'll see a lot more.”
Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer in the fifth, his 19th, for St. Louis.
Jo Jo Romero (3-1) worked 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Cardinals, who had lost their previous six meetings with the A's.
In the seventh, Angel Felipe (1-1) walked the bases full with one out and gave way to Francisco Perez, who walked Lars Nootbaar on five pitches to move the Cardinals within 5-4.
Perez struck out Luken Baker looking, then yielded Walker's triple to right-center on a 3-2 fastball. The ball glanced off the glove of Oakland right fielder Seth Brown.
“I had to battle in that at-bat,” Walker said. “He ended throwing a fastball and I flicked my hands and went the other way. Bases loaded, down by one. I've got to get that ball in play. I can't swing and miss there. I can't strike out there. First year in the big leagues, sometimes I get excited and try to do too much.”
It was the Cardinals' first bases-loaded triple in the seventh inning or later since Yadier Molina did it July 7, 2015 at the Chicago White Sox.
Miles Mikolas departed with a 3-2 lead after yielding consecutive one-out singles in the seventh. Giovanny Gallegos, pitching on his 32nd birthday, entered and gave up a run-scoring double by Zack Gelof and a two-run single by Brown.
Mikolas was charged with four runs.
“It wasn't my best game,” Mikolas said. “Kept us close. All I care about is we came out of it with a win.”
A's starter JP Sears allowed three runs in five innings. Esteury Ruiz hit a two-run homer for majors-worst Oakland in the fifth. It was his first home run in 205 at-bats since May 12.
The Cardinals walked a season-high 10 times. It was their most walks in a game since April 17, 2018 at the Chicago Cubs.
“When you put guys on base and not attack the zone, you know you're going to give up runs,” Oakland manger Mark Kotsay said. “That's kind of the story tonight.”
ROSTER MOVE
The A's recalled RHP Spenser Watkins from Triple-A Las Vegas. Watkins was claimed off waivers from Houston on Aug. 8. He began the season in the Orioles organization and was traded to the Astros on June 23. ... INF Tony Kemp was reinstated from the paternity list.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: RHP Freddy Tarnok (right calf strain) went on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 11. He’s walked 11 and struck out 14 batters over 14 2/3 innings.
Cardinals: C Willson Contreras (right hip tightness) was removed from the game after three innings. ... 2B Nolan Gorman (lower back tightness) was a late scratch. ... RHP Ryan Helsley (right forearm strain) is scheduled to pitch on Wednesday for Triple-A Memphis. ... RHP Jake Woodford (right shoulder strain) is set to pitch Thursday for Memphis.
UP NEXT
Cardinals RHP Dakota Hudson (3-0, 4.31 ERA) will make his second career start against the A's, who had not announced a starter.
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