BASEBALL: Matthew Liberatore, Cardinals eke out low-scoring win over Padres

Masyn Winn’s RBI triple in the seventh inning on Thursday night broke a tie and lifted the visiting St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres.

Matthew Liberatore (2-1) earned the win in a strong pitching duel, allowing just one run on three hits across six innings. He issued three walks and struck out six. San Diego starter Michael King also delivered a solid outing, giving up one run on just one hit in six innings, with two walks and six strikeouts.

The Cardinals struck in the seventh. Jordan Walker opened the inning with a double off Bradgley Rodriguez (0-2). After Nolan Gorman struck out, Winn sent a looping fly ball into right field that dropped in front of Nick Castellanos and rolled into the corner. Walker raced home to give St. Louis the lead.

St. Louis’ bullpen preserved the advantage. George Soriano and JoJo Romero each tossed a scoreless inning before Riley O’Brien closed it out with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his 11th save in 13 chances.

San Diego scored its only run in the first inning. Manny Machado drew a two-out walk, Fernando Tatis Jr. followed with a single, and Xander Bogaerts drove in Machado with a check-swing single to right field.

After that, the Padres’ offense was largely silenced. Liberatore retired the next 12 batters he faced before Miguel Andujar singled in the sixth. Machado grounded out to end that inning.

Tatis briefly sparked San Diego in the seventh with an infield hit, but he was thrown out trying to steal second base after a successful challenge review. That would be the Padres’ final baserunner of the game.

Alec Burleson provided St. Louis’ earlier offense, tying the game in the fourth inning with a 378-foot solo home run to right field off King. It was his sixth homer of the season and 30th RBI.

The Cardinals had a chance to add insurance in the ninth after Walker doubled and Gorman walked to open the inning, but San Diego reliever Jason Adam escaped the jam, aided by a failed sacrifice bunt attempt by Winn.

St. Louis held on the rest of the way to secure the tight road victory. -Field Level Media/Reuters