Braves 6 - 5 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Braves top Cardinals in wild 9th

May 18, 2014 - 10:22 PM St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - In a wild ninth inning, a wild pitch helped the Atlanta Braves salvage a game in St. Louis.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning, Ryan Doumit scored the deciding run on a wild pitch by Carlos Martinez to give the Braves a 6-5 win over the Cardinals in the finale of a three-game series.

Freddie Freeman singled to lead off the ninth and closer Trevor Rosenthal (0-2) got two quick outs before Doumit knocked a pinch-hit double into the right-field corner.

Rosenthal, attempting to convert his fourth save in as many days, intentionally walked Evan Gattis and then walked Jordan Schafer in an eight- pitch at-bat to force in the tying run.

Martinez entered in relief of Rosenthal and uncorked a pitch in the dirt that allowed Doumit to cross home.

"We grinded it out today," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "It was nice to win this one and maybe it will help us in the right direction."

David Carpenter (3-0) earned the win after throwing 1 1/3 innings in relief and Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 11th save of the season.

Freeman went 3-for-3 with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored. Braves starter Gavin Floyd allowed four runs -- one earned -- over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision.

St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia, who made his season debut after missing the majority of 2013 because of shoulder surgery, hurled seven innings and allowed four runs on five hits with five strikeouts.

Kolten Wong had three RBI and Matt Carpenter had two hits and three walks for the Cardinals, who had their four-game winning streak snapped.

"It would have been a big win, no question," said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. "It's a tough one to lose."

With two outs in the first, Freeman welcomed Garcia back to service with an opposite-field homer to open the scoring.

The Cards put up three in the second after an unlikely miscue prolonged the inning.

After Jhonny Peralta grounded into a double play, Peter Bourjos struck out, but the ball got away from catcher Gerald Laird.

Garcia singled and Carpenter then walked before Wong cleared the bases with a double to left.

Justin Upton's leadoff homer to left cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth.

Matt Adams got the run back in the fifth with a sacrifice fly to center that plated Allen Craig.

Following a single from Jason Heyward and a double from Upton, Freeman stroked a single into left that scored a pair and tied the game at 4-4.

With two outs in the seventh, Peralta stepped in and skied a pop fly out to center. Schafer settled under it, but as the ball made its way downward, Schafer lost it in the sun and the ball dropped to the right of him for a double.

Yadier Molina raced around from first and slid in safely to give the Cardinals the lead.

Game Notes

The Braves snapped a three-game losing streak to conclude a six-game road trip ... Atlanta went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position ... St. Louis, meanwhile, went 1-for-13 with RISP and stranded 12 men on base.






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