Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals Match Player Stats On Sep 09, 2021

Tyler O'Neill hit the decisive homer in the fifth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Thursday.

The teams split the four-game series. The Cardinals (71-68) climbed within three games of the San Diego Padres for the second National League wild card slot while the Dodgers (88-53) fell 2 1/2 games back of the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants.

The Padres and Giants are idle Thursday.

Cardinals starting pitcher Jake Woodford allowed one run on three hits and two walks in four innings. Alex Reyes (6-8) followed with two scoreless innings to earn the victory.

T.J. McFarland and Luis Garcia teamed to get the game into the ninth inning, and Giovanny Gallegos closed out the game for his sixth save.

Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin allowed one run on three hits and two walks in three innings in his return from the 10-day injured list. He had been sidelined by shoulder inflammation.

Phil Bickford (3-2), the third Dodgers pitcher into the game, allowed O'Neill's homer and took the loss.

Trea Turner hit a two-out double in the first inning, but Cardinals right fielder Lars Nootbaar made a sliding catch of Justin Turner's potential RBI single.

The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Dylan Carlson hit a leadoff double and took third on a groundout. After Paul DeJong walked, Andrew Knizner hit an RBI double to left center. Woodford followed with a sharply hit grounder, but first baseman Max Muncy threw DeJong out at the plate to limit the damage.

The Dodgers responded with a two-out rally in the third. Mookie Betts walked, Muncy hit a double and Trea Turner hit an RBI single to plate Betts and tie the game 1-1.

DeJong drew another walk in the fourth inning and stole second base, but reliever Corey Knebel struck out Knizner and Matt Carpenter to strand him.

O'Neill's solo homer with two outs in the fifth inning put the Cardinals up 2-1.

--Field Level Media