Paul DeJong homered and had a season-high four RBIs, Matt Carpenter's opposite-field double off the very top of the outfield wall ignited a decisive inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Texas 8-2 on Saturday, getting their first victory over the Rangers since the 2011 World Series.
Carpenter was initially given a two-run homer in the fifth after his drive hit the wide pad atop the 14-foot left field wall, bounced up and then came back down into the field of play. That was changed to an RBI double on replay review after the Rangers challenged. It was still the first run in a five-run outburst.
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Paul DeJong homered and had a season-high four RBIs, Matt Carpenter's opposite-field double off the very top of the outfield wall ignited a decisive inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat Texas 8-2 on Saturday, getting their first victory over the Rangers since the 2011 World Series.
The Cardinals had lost seven regular season games in a row against Texas since their World Series title eight years ago. They were swept in three-game home series in 2013 and 2016, and lost the opener of this series Friday night in what was St. Louis' first regular season game in Arlington since June 13, 2004 — a gap of 5,451 games.
Ariel Jurado (1-2) had Carpenter picked off after the overturned call in the fifth, but second baseman Rougned Odor dropped the ball for an error. The Rangers starter was done after walking the next batter.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (4-3, 4.34 ERA), the Cardinals' first-round draft pick in 2014, is 2-8 with a 4.94 ERA in 16 career starts when facing an opponent for the first time.
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Ariel Jurado reaches down to field a ground out by St. Louis Cardinals' Kolten Wong in the second inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Two fans stand at the top of the stadium protected beneath the roof from falling rain before a rain-delayed baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Water lays on the outer track as Texas Rangers grounds crew members head onto the field to remove the tarp after rain showers that delayed the start of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Thunderstorms with heavy rain delayed the start of Saturday's scheduled midafternoon game by 2 hours, 11 minutes. There was no more rain until the game finished in a downpour that started when the Rangers were batting in the ninth.
St. Louis Cardinals' Kolten Wong, left, and Dexter Fowler, center, congratulate Matt Carpenter, right, after Carpenter scored on a Paul DeJong double during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
The Cardinals had lost seven regular season games in a row against Texas since their World Series title eight years ago. They were swept in three-game home series in 2013 and 2016, and lost the opener of this series Friday night in what was St. Louis' first regular season game in Arlington since June 13, 2004 — a gap of 5,451 games.
St. Louis had lost three in a row and 12 of 15 games. The Rangers had scored 29 runs in a three-game winning streak.
Cardinals rookie right-hander Dakota Hudson (3-3) struck out five and allowed two runs over six innings.
From left to right, Texas Rangers' Rougned Odor, Isiah Kiner-Falefa (9) and Ronald Guzman stand on the mound as starting pitcher Ariel Jurado hands the ball to manager Chris Woodward in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Ariel Jurado (1-2) had Carpenter picked off after the overturned call in the fifth, but second baseman Rougned Odor dropped the ball for an error. The Rangers starter was done after walking the next batter.
DeJong, who drove in a run with a groundout in the third and hit his eighth homer in the ninth, greeted reliever Jeanmar Gómez with a two-run double into the left field corner that made it 4-0. After another walk, José Martínez had an RBI single, and a groundout by Yadier Molina sent home another run.
Ronald Guzmán led off the Rangers fifth with a single and scored on a double by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who later came home on groundout by Willie Calhoun, who has six RBIs in four games since being called up by the Rangers earlier this week.
St. Louis Cardinals' Yadier Molina scrapes mud off his pads in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: SS Danny Santana was hit by a fastball on his right ankle when batting in the ninth inning. He was lifted for a pinch-runner before Guzmán grounded into a game-ending double play.
UP NEXT
St. Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong (12) sprints around the bases scoring on a Jose Martinez single as Texas Rangers' Danny Santana moves to cover second during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Cardinals: RHP Jack Flaherty (4-3, 4.34 ERA), the Cardinals' first-round draft pick in 2014, is 2-8 with a 4.94 ERA in 16 career starts when facing an opponent for the first time.
Rangers: LHP Drew Smyly (0-3, 6.85) is still looking for his first MLB win since 2016, before his Tommy John surgery in July 2017. He has never pitched against St. Louis.
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St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter (13) tags out Texas Rangers' Shin-Soo Choo on a run down as Choo was trying to advance home on a fielder's choice by Nomar Mazara in the first inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Texas Rangers relief pitcher Ariel Jurado reaches down to field a ground out by St. Louis Cardinals' Kolten Wong in the second inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Two fans stand at the top of the stadium protected beneath the roof from falling rain before a rain-delayed baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)
Water lays on the outer track as Texas Rangers grounds crew members head onto the field to remove the tarp after rain showers that delayed the start of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Gutierrez)