Alejandro Kirk hit a game-winning single with the bases loaded in the 11th inning, giving the Toronto Blue Jays a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night in the first game of their three-game series.
In the 11th inning, after the Cardinals intentionally walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Leo Jiménez moved Guerrero and the automatic runner, Nathan Lukes, into scoring position with a bunt single.
Will Wagner then grounded into a fielder’s choice, setting the stage for Kirk’s game-winning hit. He singled to deep left field against right-hander Ryan Fernandez (1-5), securing his first career game-winning hit.
“It’s great for him,” said manager John Schneider, referring to Kirk’s effort as he caught for 11 innings.
Erik Swanson (2-2) earned the win with a scoreless inning as the Blue Jays improved to 3-7 in September. This win marked their fifth time winning in their last at-bat.
Thomas Saggese, a rookie infielder for the Cardinals, hit his first career home run, a solo shot in the eighth inning that tied the game. He had just recorded his first hit and RBI the previous day against Cincinnati.
Saggese commented, “It’s pretty cool to do it in that moment to tie the game right there,” though he was more focused on the loss.
The Cardinals, who had a strong record against AL East teams this season, struggled with runners in scoring position, hitting just 2 for 19. Manager Oliver Marmol pointed out, “You don’t deserve to win when you go 2 for 19 with runners in scoring position.”
The game started with the first four Cardinals batters getting singles off Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman. Nolan Arenado’s bloop single to center scored the first run, and a second run came from Saggese’s fielder’s choice.
“That was huge,” Gausman said with gratitude. “Not much was going my way that inning, so to get that out was really important. That’s what (Barger) can do with his strong arm. He can throw 100 from the outfield. Most guys wouldn’t even attempt that throw, but he came up with it.”
Toronto answered with a three-run fourth inning against right-hander Erick Fedde. Guerrero hit a double that drove in a run, Spencer Horwitz followed with a sacrifice fly, and Kirk knocked in Guerrero with a two-out single.
“When you get the lead early, you want to keep it,” Fedde said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to do that.”
Saggese tied the game with a home run off left-hander Génesis Cabrera in the eighth inning.
“He was great today and has been a really good addition to the team so far,” Fedde said about Saggese.
The Cardinals had runners at second and third with two outs in the fourth inning, but Gausman avoided trouble by catching a line drive from Michael Siani back to the mound.
Gausman gave up two runs and nine hits in seven innings. He walked two batters and struck out three.
Guerrero started at third base and made a great defensive play in the seventh inning. He dove to catch a hard grounder from Paul Goldschmidt and tagged out Masyn Winn, who was off the base.
In the ninth inning, Guerrero moved to first base and ended the inning with a diving play on Arenado’s grounder, throwing to pitcher Tommy Nance for the out and leaving a runner stranded at second.
“He was really on display today,” Schneider said. “Those plays were huge for us.”
Fedde gave up three runs and six hits in five innings. He walked one batter and struck out three.
