Walk Off Win in Extras Snaps Losing Streak

The Cardinal Chronicle
Morning Briefing — Cardinals Answer Back, Walk It Off in Extras
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

 
After three straight losses, the Cardinals didn’t just win a game Tuesday night.

They took it back.

A 6–5 walk-off win over the Cleveland Guardians at Busch Stadium wasn’t clean, and it wasn’t easy—but it showed something this club needed to show.

They didn’t fold.

 
A Game That Turned Twice
For most of the night, the Cardinals were in control.

Then the eighth inning happened—again.

A 2–2 game quickly turned into a 5–2 deficit as the Guardians capitalized on bullpen trouble, putting St. Louis in a familiar spot after Monday’s loss.

But this time, the response was different.

 
Wetherholt Steps Forward
When the Cardinals needed a spark, JJ Wetherholt provided it.

The rookie delivered the biggest night of his young career:

2-for-4
2 home runs
3 RBI
His second blast pulled the Cardinals back within striking distance and set the tone for what followed.

It wasn’t just power.

It was presence.

 
Finding a Way Back
The Cardinals chipped away.

A defensive miscue by Cleveland in the ninth opened the door, and Yohel Pozo came through with a key double to keep the inning alive.

They didn’t force it.

They stayed with it.

 
Walking It Off
In the 10th, the Cardinals did what good teams do in that spot.

They applied pressure.

With the automatic runner in place, Thomas Saggese came around to score the winning run on a wild pitch, sealing a comeback that looked unlikely just an inning earlier.

Ballgame.

 
Quiet Contributions That Mattered
Lost in the late drama were a few key efforts:

Michael McGreevy kept the game in reach (5.0 IP, 2 ER)
Ivan Herrera delivered his first home run of the season
The bullpen, after the eighth-inning stumble, recovered to close it out
Even an ABS challenge by Herrera helped secure a key out late.

That’s winning baseball in small moments.

 
A Needed Response
This wasn’t just another win. It was a response.

Snapped a three-game losing streak
Seventh comeback win of the season
Perfect 5–0 in one-run and extra-innings games
That tells you something about this club.

They’re not out of games.

 
The Bottom Line
Good teams don’t let one loss linger.

Better teams don’t let three define them.

The Cardinals didn’t play a perfect game Tuesday night.

But they played a tough one.

And they finished it.

 
Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports