Cardinals’ Lars Nootbaar Shines in Epic Comeback Win Against Giants
In a thrilling matchup at Oracle Park in San Francisco, the St. Louis Cardinals clawed their way back from an early deficit to secure a 6-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants. The hero of the night was none other than Lars Nootbaar, who put on a show with a homer, a triple, and three RBIs to lead the Cardinals to victory.
The game got off to a fast start as Masyn Winn scored on a single by Nolan Arenado in the first inning, giving the Cardinals an early lead. However, the Giants quickly answered back with a two-run homer from Jerar Encarnacion and an RBI double from Mike Yastrzemski in the second inning, taking a 3-1 lead.
But the Cardinals refused to back down. Nootbaar launched his 12th homer of the season, a solo shot in the third inning, cutting the deficit in half. Then, in a four-run fourth inning, the Cardinals took the lead for good. Winn’s double tied the score, Alec Burleson singled home Winn to put St. Louis ahead, and Nootbaar’s triple to center field extended their lead to 6-3.
It was a tough night for Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp, who was chased from the game after giving up six runs and nine hits in just 3 2/3 innings. On the other side, Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas battled through five innings, allowing three runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking one.
The Cardinals bullpen was stellar, with John King, Andrew Kittredge, Matthew Liberatore, and Ryan Helsley combining to shut down the Giants over the final four innings. Helsley picked up his 49th save of the season, giving up just one hit and striking out two in the process.
The offensive contributions were widespread for the Cardinals, with Arenado leading the charge with a double and two singles. Jordan Walker and Ivan Herrera also chipped in with multiple hits each, contributing to the team’s fifth win in their last six games.
On the Giants side, Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto, and Brett Wisely each had two hits, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Cardinals’ late surge. The loss guaranteed the Giants a non-winning season, extending their streak of seasons without a winning record since 2021.
Overall, it was a thrilling night of baseball at Oracle Park, with the Cardinals showcasing their resilience and firepower to come back and secure a crucial win. With Lars Nootbaar leading the way, St. Louis proved once again why they are a force to be reckoned with in the MLB.
