March 28, 2024

Controversial walk-off gives Cardinals key win in tight playoff race

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yadier Molina hit a disputed double that drove in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning Thursday night, sending the St. Louis Cardinals over the Cincinnati Reds 4-3.

The Cardinals began the day one game behind San Francisco for the second NL wild-card spot.

Matt Carpenter drew a one-out walk from Blake Wood (6-5). With two outs, Molina’s one-hop hit appeared to bounce off a sign above the left-field wall and carom back into play.

Carpenter kept running and scored from first. Reds manager Bryan Price ran after the umpires, who left the field as soon as Carpenter touched the plate.

Price later said umpire crew chief Bill Miller told him that teams have 10 seconds to appeal on a game-ending play, and that the complaint wasn’t made in time.

“I’m not blaming the umpires. I’m blaming the system,” Price said.

Molina and Jedd Gyorko hit homers for the Cardinals.

Seung Hwan Oh (6-3) wound up with the win.

Cincinnati scored single runs in the eighth and ninth. Pinch hitter Scott Schebler had a two-out, two-strike infield single to make it 3-all.

Gyorko hit his team-high 28th homer off starter Dan Straily in the second. Molina hit his homer in the fifth.

St. Louis rookie Alex Reyes, in his fifth major league start, gave up one run on seven hits in a 99-pitch outing. He struck out six and walked two.