St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar drove in two runs and starting pitcher Kyle Gibson pitched six effective innings to lead the Cardinals to a 5-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the series finale on Wednesday.
Gibson (2-2) allowed only one run on five hits, striking out six and walking two in his 299th career start. Three relievers finished the game for St. Louis.
Former Cardinal Jordan Montgomery (1-1) went seven innings in his second start for Arizona since signing a one-year, $25 million deal. He allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits, striking out four and walking one.
The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning against the defending National League champions. With one out, Brendan Donovan singled and Willson Contreras doubled. Nolan Arenado’s single scored Donovan, and Contreras scored on a wild pitch.
St. Louis added a run in the seventh for a 3-1 lead. Masyn Winn reached on a one-out throwing error and scored on Nolan Gorman’s RBI single to left field.
Nootbaar’s bases-loaded double in the eighth gave the Cardinals a 5-1 lead.
Gibson escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, allowing just a run on Christian Walker’s sacrifice fly. He got Eugenio Suarez to hit into an inning-ending double play.
Arizona loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning, but Gibson gave up just a run on Christian Walker’s sacrifice fly. Gibson got out of the inning by getting Eugenio Suarez to hit into an inning-ending double play.
The Cardinals optioned outfielder Jordan Walker and left-hander Zack Thompson to Triple-A Memphis and recalled infielder José Fermín and left-hander John King from Triple-A Memphis. Walker is hitting just .155 with no home runs and 4 RBIs in 19 games this season.
The Diamondbacks promoted left-hander Andrew Saalfrank and right-hander Justin Martinez from Triple-A Reno. Right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list. Right-hander Miguel Castro (right shoulder inflammation) and left-hander Kyle Nelson (left shoulder inflammation) also were placed on the 15-day IL.
The Cardinals will have an off day on Thursday before starting a three-game series in New York against the Mets on Friday. The Diamondbacks will also have an off day on Thursday before opening a three-game series in Seattle against the Mariners on Friday.
