Ivan Herrera’s tiebreaking two-run single capped a four-run, fifth-inning outburst as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals topped the Detroit Tigers, 5-3, on Sunday night.
Pedro Pages had an RBI single for the Cardinals, who salvaged the finale of a three-game series. St. Louis starter Kyle Leahy (1-1) gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. Riley O’Brien got the last three outs for his second save.
Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run homer for Detroit. Spencer Torkelson reached base four times.
Tigers starter Keider Montero (0-1) gave up three runs (two earned) and three hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Montero was recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Saturday after Justin Verlander was placed on the 15-day injured list due to left hip inflammation. Verlander was scheduled on Sunday to make his first start at Detroit’s Comerica Park in a Tigers uniform since the 2017 season.
Detroit had a baserunner in the first inning and two more in the second. Leahy got out of the latter jam by inducing a Javier Baez groundout.
Leahy wasn’t as fortunate in the third. Colt Keith led off with a single. Two outs later, Carpenter hit a majestic shot over the center field wall for his second long ball in as many games.
St. Louis grabbed the lead in the fifth. Nolan Gorman led off with a single and Thomas Saggese walked. After a fielder’s choice, Pages smacked a game-tying RBI single to end Montero’s night.
Enmanual De Jesus replaced him and Victor Scott executed a squeeze bunt to tie the game. De Jesus’ errant throw put runners in scoring position. With two outs, Herrera lined a single to right to knock in both runners for a 4-2 lead.
The Tigers cut the Cardinals’ lead to 4-3 in the sixth. Reliever George Soriano issued walks to Dillon Dingler and Torkelson sandwiching a Parker Meadows single. Baez then hit a sacrifice fly.
St. Louis scored a run in the eighth. JJ Wetherholt led off with a single and Herrera walked. One out later, Jordan Walker walked to load the bases and Nolan Gorman hit a sacrifice fly.
