SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Andrew Knizner hit an RBI triple in the eighth inning, and the San Francisco Giants beat St. Louis 4-3 on Wednesday night to eliminate the Cardinals from playoff contention.
Rafael Devers hit his 34th home run of the season, and Casey Schmitt had three hits to help the San Francisco avoid the series sweep.
One day after the Cardinals ended the Giants’ postseason hopes with a late comeback, manager Bob Melvin’s club returned the favor with a late rally of its own.
Christian Koss led off the eighth with a soft single over the outstretched glove of first baseman Nolan Arenado. Knizner, who had a sacrifice fly in the fifth, followed with a sharp liner off Riley O’Brien (3-1) that skipped past Cardinals diving center fielder Victor Scott and rolled to the wall as Koss raced around the bases.
Jose Butto (5-3), the third of four relievers used by Melvin, retired two batters to get the win, and Tristian Beck worked the ninth for his second save.
San Francisco did the majority of its scoring off St. Louis starter Sonny Gray. Gray had seven strikeouts in six innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and seven hits.
The Giants led 3-2 until Arenado tied it with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Giants starter JT Brubaker allowed two runs and four hits over four innings of his first start in the majors since 2022.
Cardinals reliever Kyle Leahy got Jung Hoo Lee to strike out swinging with the tying and go-ahead runs on base to end the seventh.
Gray now has 200 or more strikeouts in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career.
Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (8-20, 4.76 ERA) starts against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday.
Giants rookie RHP Trevor McDonald pitches against the Colorado Rockies on Friday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
San Francisco Giants' Willy Adames, right, is tagged out at second by St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan while attempting a steal during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
St. Louis Cardinals' Lars Nootbaar, right, slides into third base as San Francisco Giants' Casey Schmitt awaits the throw after a wild pitch by JT Brubaker in the fourth inning of a baseball game in San Francisco on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
San Francisco Giants' Casey Schmitt slides into second base with a double as St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan applies a late tag in 2nd inning during MLB game in San Francisco on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the Champions League semifinals with a 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday.
Ousmane Dembele’s two second-half goals sealed a 4-0 aggregate victory and kept PSG on course to defend European club soccer’s biggest prize.
Dembele’s first goal killed off Liverpool’s fight as the Premier League club went in search of another famous Champions League comeback. The Ballon d’Or winner swept a low left-footed shot from the edge of the area past goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to quieten the home crowd and ease PSG tension.
His second came at the end of a sweeping move in stoppage time.
Dembele had been guilty of wasting chances in the first leg to effectively put the tie to bed and he failed to capitalize on two more first-half opportunities to put the French champion further ahead at Anfield.
But his opening goal was dispatched with precision — nestling in the bottom corner. His second was a clinical finish from close range.
PSG is aiming to become only the second club to successfully defend the trophy in the Champions League era after Real Madrid won a hat trick of titles between 2016-18.
PSG will play the winner of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the semifinals.
Also Tuesday, Atletico Madrid advanced to the semifinals after a 3-2 aggregate win over Barcelona.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot reacts during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool players arrive for the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)
PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Alexander Isak, right, and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah run during the warm up before the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool in Paris, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
PSG's Willian Pacho, left, and Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike challenge for the ball during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool in Paris, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique attends a press conference in Liverpool, England, Monday April 13, 2026, one day ahead of their Champions League soccer match against Liverpool. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk gestures during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool in Paris, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
