By MATT PIKE
Former Cardinal Nolan Arenado had a two-run double as he closes on 2,000 career hits and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 at Chase Field to set up a rubber match in the series finale on Sunday.
The Diamondbacks got on the board first in the second inning on an RBI single from James McCann that drove in Gabriel Moreno. Arizona extended the lead in the third inning scoring three runs, all with two outs, to make it 4-0. Ketel Marte scored on a wild pitch and then Arenado delivered a two-run double down the left field line to score Moreno and Max Kepler. The 35-year-old Arenado is two hits shy of 2,000. The eight-time All-Star is playing his first season with the D-backs after five seasons with the Cardinals and eight with the Colorado Rockies.
Arizona scored their final run in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Marte, bringing home Ryan Waldschmidt to make it 5-0. The Cardinals cut into the lead in the sixth inning when All-Star right fielder Jordan Walker. who won the Home Run Derby on Monday, had an RBI single to drive in JJ Wetherholt and Masyn Winn grounded into a forceout scoring Alec Burleson to cut the deficit to 5-2. In the ninth, Jimmy Crooks hit a solo home run, but Paul Sewald earned his 23rd save in 24 chances for the Diamondbacks
Dustin May fell to 5-7 taking the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits and four walks over five innings with six strikeouts. At the plate, Wetherholt was 2-for-5 with a run scored and Burleson was 2-for-4 with a run. Walker was 1-for-4 wth an RBI and Crooks, who was a defensive replacement in the seventh inning, was 1-for-1 with the home run and an RBI.
St. Louis and Arizona wrap up their series tomorrow. Andre Pallante (10-6, 3.96 ERA, 72K's) takes the mound for the Cardinals against Eduardo Rodriguez (8-3, 2.29 ERA, 79K's) for the Diamondbacks. First pitch is at 3:10pm, coverage will begin at 3 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).
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