PHOENIX (AP) — Tyler O’Neill hit a two-run homer for the second straight night, Nolan Arenado added a solo shot and the St. Louis Cardinals won 8-6 Friday night over the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have lost 12 straight games.
Arizona trailed 8-5 entering the ninth but loaded the bases with one out. Ketel Marte pushed home a run with an RBI groundout, but Daniel Ponce de Leon got Josh Rojas to ground out on a slow roller to end the game.
The Cardinals never trailed, jumping to a 4-0 lead in the first. Paul Goldschmidt had a sacrifice fly, Yadier Molina added an RBI double and O’Neill’s homer easily cleared the left field wall.
O’Neill has homered in his first two games since returning from the 10-day injured list because of fracture in his left middle finger that kept him out of the lineup for nearly two weeks. Even with the missed time, he has 10 homers this year.
Arenado added a solo homer in the third that just cleared David Peralta’s glove over the left field fence. It was the third baseman’s 11th homer of the season and pushed the St. Louis lead to 5-2.
Jake Woodford (1-0) earned the win with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief while striking out six. Cardinals starter Johan Oviedo gave up three runs over 4 1/3 innings. He walked six, gave up five hits and struck out three.
The Diamondbacks trailed 7-3 entering the eighth but pulled within 7-5 on Eduardo Escobar’s bases-loaded single that scored Tim Locastro and Marte.
Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner (4-5) struggled from the outset, walking the first two batters and giving up four runs in the first . He made it just four innings, giving up seven runs, including six earned on five hits and four walks. He struck out four.
The Diamondbacks have lost 21 of their past 24 games dating to May 4.
Bumgarner had a good stretch of outings from mid-April to mid-May, giving the D-backs hope that the four-time All-Star would have big bounce-back season after a tough 2020. But the left hander has given up 13 earned runs over his past 14 innings and his ERA has slowly climbed to 5.15.
Arizona scored a run in each of the first three innings, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Cardinals. Pavin Smith had a double and triple. Josh Reddick had three hits, including a double.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (right forearm strain) won’t throw for the next four to six weeks while he rests his arm. Manager Mike Shildt said there is no structural damage in Mikolas’ elbow and the team is hopeful he’ll be able to return this season. Mikolas was hurt on May 22 in his first start of the season against the Cubs.
Diamondbacks: 1B Christian Walker (strained oblique) hit a homer and had three RBIs on Thursday night for Triple-A Reno. Manager Torey Lovullo said Walker is nearing a return to the big leagues.
UP NEXT
Arizona sends RHP Seth Frankoff (0-1, 7.27 ERA) to the mound on Saturday night. He’ll face Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (2-4, 3.95). Frankoff will be making his third career MLB start and will be facing the Cardinals for the first time.
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