CHICAGO — Brendan Donovan became Edmundo Sosa’s best friend on Saturday night.
After it appeared a baserunning mistake by Sosa in the ninth inning might cost the Cardinals a win, Donovan drove in two runs with a double in the 10th that sent the Cardinals to a 7-4 win and a split of their day-night doubleheader in Chicago.
With the game tied at 3, Sosa was on second base and should have scored easily on a single by Nolan Gorman, but he missed third base and had to go back to the base. Paul Goldschmidt then hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
After Giovanny Gallegos pitched around a two-out double in the bottom of the ninth, Donovan came up with the big hit in the 10th following a walk to Nolan Arenado.
If the Cardinals had lost the game, it would have only added to the frustration they were still feeling from the first game. Then, a missed call by umpire Bruce Dreckmann on a 3-2 pitch to Tommy Edman cost the Cardinals a chance at a possible comeback in the seventh inning in what turned out to be a 6-1 loss.
The walk would have forced in a run, cutting the deficit to 5-2, with Nolan Gorman batting with the bases loaded.
Oli Marmol was ejected for the first time in his managerial career for arguing the call.
Here is how the games broke down:
At the plate: Donovan also had a two-run double in the fourth inning of the night game for a four-RBI, three-hit night. He reached base twice in game one with a single and walk … Goldschmidt saw his hitting streak end at 25 games in the opener, but he did walk twice, and a single in the second game extended his streak of reaching base with a hit or walk to 41 consecutive games … The Cardinals' only run in game one came on Edman’s fifth homer of the season in the sixth. They were held hitless until Juan Yepez doubled with one out in the fifth.
On the mound: The Cardinals turned to Johan Oviedo to start game one and Andre Pallante made his first major-league start in game two. Oviedo, who has now made 19 career starts without a win, allowed three runs over five innings … Pallante gave up a run in the first inning, but then threw three scoreless innings before coming out of the game after the fourth … The Cubs tied the game at 3 by getting two runs off Drew VerHagen in the sixth … After Ryan Helsley worked 2 1/3 innings, Gallegos took over in the ninth, earning the win, allowing one run in the 10th while striking out three.
Key stat: The four runs were the most the Cardinals have scored in an extra inning at Wrigley since a four-run 13th inning, featuring a two-run homer from David Green, on Aug. 10, 1983.
Worth noting: Corey Dickerson had to leave game one in the second inning with what was described as left calf discomfort … Harrison Bader, who had an RBI single in the 10th following Donovan’s double, was caught stealing for the first time this year after 14 successful steal attempts … Tyler O’Neill homered in the ninth to give Memphis a win at Charlotte in his second rehab game… Jack Flaherty is scheduled to make his first rehab start on Sunday night in Springfield.
Looking ahead: Adam Wainwright will get the start in the final game of the series on Sunday night. The game will be broadcast by ESPN.