ST. LOUIS — It was another night when the St. Louis Cardinals failed to get a hit with a runner in scoring position, but this time, it didn’t matter.
The Cardinals’ two big hits came with a runner on first base – a pair of two-out, two-run homers in the second inning that gave Sonny Gray enough offense for a victory over the Rays at Busch Stadium.
Victor Scott II hit the first home run of his major-league career, and after Masyn Winn was hit by a pitch, Tommy Pham hit his second home run since being traded back to the Cardinals last week.
The home runs ended a 16-inning scoreless drought for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals were 0-of-6 with a runner in scoring position and have now gone hitless in 17 at-bats with a runner on second or third in their last three games. They are just 3-of-38 in their last six games with a runner in scoring position.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals missed a scoring chance in the first inning when they loaded the bases with one out on a double by Winn and two walks, but Nolan Arenado grounded into a double play … In the second, Pedro Pages singled with two outs and came home on Scott II’s home run into the Cardinals’ bullpen … Pham’s homer went into the visiting bullpen in left field … The Cardinals were held to four hits the rest of the game, including a double by Pham in the seventh … They left five runners stranded on either second or third.
On the mound: Gray and the Cardinals were down 2-0 two batters into the game on a walk and a home run. Gray needed 21 pitches to record his first out, then settled down and pitched through the seventh, allowing just three more hits en route to his 11th win of the season … Andrew Kittredge retired his former team in order in the eighth and Ryan Helsley allowed a run on a walk and two singles in the ninth but stranded the tying and go-ahead runners on base with a groundout that ended the game and completed his 35th save.
Key stat: Goldshmidt was 0-of-3 after walking in the first inning, extending his hitless streak to 18 at bats … Willson Contreras also was 0-of-3 and has just two hits in his last 21 at-bats. They were batting third and fourth for the Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Worth noting: Steven Matz started for Memphis on Tuesday night and worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and walking two while giving up one run. He threw 50 pitches … Former Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos signed a minor-league contract with the Twins on Tuesday and was assigned to their Triple-A team … Pitching prospect Quinn Mathews recorded 11 strikeouts in six shutout innings for Springfield on Tuesday night, allowing just two hits … Former Cardinal Dylan Carlson was back at Busch Stadium with the Rays but did not play in Tuesday night’s game.
Looking ahead: Erick Fedde will make his home debut and his second start for the Cardinals on Wednesday night in the second game of the three-game series.
Follow Rob Rains on X @RobRains.