Nolan Arenado ignites 9th-inning push as D-backs beat Cardinals

Nolan Arenado spurred the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning of a 4-3 win against the host St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

The game was scoreless through eight innings before Arizona finally broke through against reliever Matt Svanson (2-2). Gabriel Moreno knocked a one-out single to right, and Pavin Smith walked before he was replaced by pinch runner Ildemaro Vargas.

Arenado, a former Cardinal, then stepped up for a double to left that drove in Moreno, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. followed with a single to score Vargas and Arenado, making it 3-0.

Jorge Barrosa, pinch-running for Gurriel, added another run on a passed ball by catcher Jimmy Crooks with Geraldo Perdomo at the plate.

With two on and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Alec Burleson connected for a hard-hit double to right off closer Paul Sewald that scored Lars Nootbaar to cut the gap to 4-1. Blaze Jordan narrowed it to 4-2 on a sacrifice fly, and Crooks pulled the Cardinals within one with a single that drove in Burleson.

Brandyn Garcia took over for Sewald and got JJ Wetherholt swinging to end the game for his first career save.

Arizona starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez held St. Louis to three hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Kevin Ginkel (3-2) got the hosts out in order in the eighth to earn the win for the Diamondbacks, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy went 6 1/3 shutout innings, also allowing just three hits.

St. Louis threatened in the sixth. Ivan Herrera drew a one-out walk to extend his on-base streak to 19 games. Jordan Walker followed with a single to right field before Nootbaar walked to load the bases. But the trio were stranded when Nelson Velazquez flied out to shortstop Perdomo, who turned a double play with a strike to the plate to retire Herrera.

The Diamondbacks had the only two hits for either side through the first three innings.

The Cardinals didn't get their first baserunner until Pedro Pages walked in the bottom of the third. They notched their first two hits in the next inning, with Walker and Nootbaar each connecting for a single in consecutive at-bats.

--Field Level Media

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This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 7:59 PM.