SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Blake Sabol hit a game-ending two-run homer in the ninth inning, and the San Francisco Giants rallied past the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Tuesday night.
“That was probably one of the best moments of my life,” Sabol said. “As soon as I heard the sound off the bat and felt it, I didn’t even look. I don’t even know where the ball went. I just kind of bat-flipped, started yelling and screaming and blacked out from that moment on, just jumping up and down with my teammates. That was a lot of fun.”
With two outs and a runner on second, Sabol sent Ryan Helsley’s 1-2 offering over the wall in center field for his first career walk-off homer. Helsley (0-2) blew his third save of the year.
“I wasn’t trying to hit a home run there,” Sabol said. “I was just sticking to my approach. I wanted to see some pitches. I wasn’t trying to go up there and swing first pitch. I wanted to see some out of his hand.”
Added Giants manager Gabe Kapler: “You’re fighting for your life with two strikes, and for him to get a swing off like that is pretty remarkable. … Really cool moment. One of the cooler moments I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here.”
San Francisco trailed 4-2 entering the ninth. Joc Pederson reached on a fielding error by second baseman Tommy Edman, and Mike Yastrzemski followed with an RBI double to bring the Giants within one.
Yastrzemski homered earlier in the game as San Francisco won its fourth in a row.
Paul Goldschmidt broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run single in the eighth inning to give the Cardinals their first lead of the night.
Edman homered in the third for the Cardinals, who fell to 9-15 for their worst 24-game start in 50 years.
“This group’s not going to cave,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “I don’t care what people think. This (adversity) will serve us extremely well when we get into September. I’ll tell you that.”
Sean Hjelle (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth. San Francisco used eight pitchers, with opener John Brebbia pitching the first 1 1/3 innings.
The Giants took an early lead in the bottom of the second with the help of two St. Louis errors on the same play. Thairo Estrada stole second and took third when catcher Willson Contreras’ throw went into center field. When Dylan Carlson bobbled the ball, Estrada headed home.
Edman tied it with his fourth home run of the season. Yastrzemski answered with a solo shot in the fourth, his fifth of the year.
Cardinals starter Jake Woodford allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts.
LARS LASER
Cardinals right fielder Lars Nootbaar showed off his arm in the bottom of the fifth, throwing out Michael Conforto attempting to stretch a single into a double. Conforto hit a line drive to the wall in right and Nootbaar fired a strike from the warning track on the fly to Edman, who tagged out a diving Conforto.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (groin strain) made his second rehab start for Double-A Springfield on Tuesday, giving up three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He threw 52 of his 74 pitches for strikes, allowing seven hits and a walk.
Giants: C Joey Bart sat out after exiting Monday’s game with right groin tightness. He is not expected to go on the injured list.
UP NEXT
Cardinals LHP Steven Matz (0-3, 6.55 ERA) seeks his first win of the season Wednesday night opposite Giants RHP Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 2.63), whose seven career wins over St. Louis are his most against any opponent.
