Cardinals Rally Past Braves 2‑1 with Late Homer

Cardinals Secure Walk‑off Victory

The St. Louis Cardinals edged the Atlanta Braves 2‑1 in a rain‑delayed contest at Busch Stadium. Jimmy Crooks delivered the go‑ahead shot in the eighth inning, a two‑run blast off Danny Young that traveled 405 feet into right‑center field. JoJo Romero locked down a scoreless eighth, and Riley O’Brien earned his 23rd save of the season. The win improves St. Louis’ series standing as they head into the next matchup.

Key Offensive Sparks

• Jordan Walker plated JJ Wetherholt with an RBI single in the sixth, breaking a 1‑1 tie.
• Mike Yastrzemski doubled down the right‑field line and later scored on Austin Riley’s middle‑inning single, giving Atlanta its only lead.
• Jimmy Crooks, inserted as a defensive replacement in the seventh, followed with the game‑winning homer off Danny Young (0‑1).

Rain Delay and Record Milestones

Play was halted at 8:02 p.m. during the fourth inning because heavy rain flooded the dugouts and outfield. The interruption lasted 2 hours 44 minutes before the game resumed. While the weather paused the action, the day also featured a franchise milestone: Matt Olson recorded his 741st consecutive game, surpassing Dale Murphy’s 1986 team mark.

Atlanta’s starter Chris Sale tossed three scoreless innings with five strikeouts before the rainout. In the reopened portion, George Soriano replaced Kyle Leahy and fanned Ozzie Albies on a 1‑2 count.

Looking Ahead

The Braves will rely on Reynaldo López (4‑1, 3.18 ERA) to continue his strong stretch when they host the Cardinals on Saturday night. St. Louis counters with left‑hander Matthew Liberatore (4‑6, 5.34 ERA). Fans can expect another tightly contested matchup as both clubs chase playoff positioning.

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