ST. LOUIS — This has been a frustrating season for Nolan Arenado, but he finally had something to smile about on Wednesday night.
Arenado’s grand slam in the 10th inning broke a 6-6 tie and gave the Cardinals a walk-off win over the Brewers at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals had sent the game to extra innings with two runs in the ninth against Milwaukee closer Devin Williams, both runs scoring on bases-loaded walks.
Masyn Winn was the automatic runner on second base to start the 10th and he advanced to third on Alec Burleson’s fly-out. Willson Contreras was intentionally walked, and then Jose Fermin also drew a walk to load the bases.
Arenado then turned on a 1-2 pitch from Trevor Megill and launched it into the seats in left field to give the Cardinals their first extra-inning win at home this season. They had been 0-4 at Busch in extra innings.
The win came before an announced crowd of 29,580, the smallest crowd in the history of Busch Stadium 3 since it opened in 2006. The last time they drew less than 30,000 for a home game was in 2005, the last season at Busch 2.
It was only the second win in nine games for the Cardinals against the division-leading Brewers this season and their second in their last nine games as they try to stay alive in the wild-card race.
Here is how Wednesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The first comeback of the night for the Cardinals came in the seventh, when Luken Baker – called up from Memphis on Tuesday, hit a two-run pinch-hit homer to tie the game 4-4 … In the ninth, Contreras was hit by a pitch and Fermin doubled to put runners on second and third. Arenado struck out before Lars Nootbaar walked to load the bases. Paul Goldschmidt struck out, but then Matt Carpenter and Tommy Pham drew the walks that tied the game.
On the mound: The Cardinals used seven pitchers in the game and they combined to walk eight batters, five of whom came around to score … Kyle Gibson allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings … The Brewers went up 4-2 in the seventh on a two-run single by Jackson Chourio off JoJo Romero and then they went up again 6-4 in the eighth on a two-run double by Joey Ortiz off Andrew Kittredge … Ryan Helsley kept the Brewers from scoring in the 10th, getting two strikeouts, stranding the go-ahead runner on third.
Key stat: Arenado had been hitless in seven at-bats with the bases loaded this season, an area where the Cardinals collectively have struggled, posting a team average of .174, 15 hits in 86 at-bats.
Worth noting: The Cardinals optioned Nolan Gorman to Memphis before the game. Gorman has not hit a home run since July 22 and since has gone 8-of-44 with two doubles and no RBIs in 14 games, 12 of them starts. He struck out in 16 of those at-bats. This has been a disappointing season for Gorman, hitting just .203 for the year with 151 strikeouts in 365 at-bats. The third-year Cardinals has really struggled with runners in scoring position, hitting .159 and striking out 37 times in 82 at-bats … Ferman was recalled from Memphis to take Gorman’s spot on the roster … In another promotion, first baseman Chandler Redmond moved up from Springfield to Memphis. Redmond earlier this season broke the Springfield franchise career home run record … Steven Matz made what is expected to be his last rehab start at Memphis on Wednesday night, throwing 85 pitches in five innings and allowing four runs.
Looking ahead: Miles Mikolas will get the start in the 1:15 p.m. series finale on Thursday.
Follow Rob Rains on X @RobRains.