PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Nolan Gorman hit an early two-run homer and a tiebreaking single in the 10th inning to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to their first win in Philadelphia in nearly two years, 5-4 over the Phillies on Sunday night.
Gorman ripped a two-out single to right field off Gregory Soto (1-3) to score the automatic runner in the 10th and help St. Louis avoid a series sweep. The Cardinals had lost their last six games in Philadelphia, dating to a victory on July 2, 2022.
“Philly’s always a tough place to play. It’s always a fun place to play,” Cardinals starter Lance Lynn said. “Fans are absolutely (really) insane. It’s fun, to be honest. It’s a really fun place to play. They’ve got a great team. They’ve got great players.”
Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley struck out Nick Castellanos for his 19th save, stranding automatic runner Bryce Harper at third base and ending Philadelphia’s three-game winning streak.
John King (2-1) tossed a scoreless inning for the win, one of six relievers who combined for six shutout innings.
Taijuan Walker plodded through another turn in the rotation even as the Phillies have Spencer Turnbull out in the bullpen. The Phillies are committed to Walker in large part because he’s in the second season of a $72 million, four-year deal — the first of which saw him fail to throw a pitch in the postseason, even as the 15-game winner and the Phillies reached Game 7 of the NL Championship Series.
Walker — who entered with a 5.51 ERA — didn’t impress in his seventh start of the season.
“With the team playing so well right now, I just want to be a part of that,” he said. “I’m just not doing my part.”
Gorman hooked his 11th homer inside the right-field foul pole, a two-run shot in the first inning for a 2-0 lead.
After the Phillies tied it 2-all in the second on backup catcher Garret Stubbs’ RBI double and Johan Rojas’ groundout off Lynn, Walker again ran into trouble.
He gave up his second two-run homer of the game, to Alec Burleson — who snapped an 0-for-19 slump — in the third as St. Louis went back in front 4-2.
Phillies fans fed up with Walker chanted for Turnbull. They didn’t get their wish, but Walker pitched only five innings and gave up five hits and four runs.
Again the Phillies bailed out Walker on Bryson Stott’s two-run single in the fifth.
“I’ve seen his command better,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh left in the eighth with a strained right hamstring. Marsh singled leading off the inning and pulled up lame as he rounded second on Castellanos’ single. Marsh immediately hobbled back to second base and waved for help. Marsh was not available in the clubhouse postgame, and an update was expected Monday.
Thomson said it was “really encouraging” that Ranger Suárez will make his next scheduled start after he left Saturday’s game when he was hit by a line drive in the second inning. Suárez, who entered the game tied for the major league lead with nine wins, exited with a bruised left hand after he was drilled by a 106 mph line drive off Burleson’s bat. The left-hander picked up the ball and threw to first to get the final out of the inning, then immediately winced in pain. … Phillies 2B Kody Clemens was a late scratch with back spasms. Whit Merrifield got the spot start.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals head to Houston for a three-game series. They send RHP Kyle Gibson (4-2, 3.60 ERA) to the mound Monday against RHP Justin Verlander (3-2, 3.26).
The Milwaukee Brewers had not announced a starter for the opener of a three-game series Monday against the Phillies. RHP Zack Wheeler (6-3, 2.32 ERA) goes for Philadelphia.
