Encarnacion-Strand hits tiebreaking RBI double in the 9th as Orioles outlast Cardinals 8-7

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a tiebreaking RBI double, Leody Taveras and Pete Alonso homered and the Baltimore Orioles beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-7 on Wednesday night after squandering a seven-run, second-inning lead.

Encarnacion-Strand's double in the top of the ninth scored Luis Vázquez, helping the Orioles (65-68) stay within 2 1/2 games of the Cleveland Guardians in the race for the final American League wild-card spot.

Encarnacion-Strand and Dylan Beavers opened the scoring with RBI singles before Taveras' three-run homer extended the lead to 5-0 in the first inning. Alonso followed in the second with his team-leading 32nd home run of the year — a two-run, 368-foot long ball to right field.

Grant Wolfram (5-2) worked a hitless eighth inning, and Andrew Kittredge picked up his seventh save of the season with a one-hit ninth as Baltimore took the first two games of the three-game set.

Baltimore starter Kyle Bradish allowed seven runs on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Five relievers worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings.

Nolan Gorman hit a solo homer in the second for St. Louis, which scored six runs in the fifth inning. Alec Burson started the comeback with a two-run single, Jordan Walker tacked on an RBI double and Nathan Church had a two-run double to bring St. Louis within a run. José Fermín tied the game at 7 with an RBI groundout.

Riley O’Brien (3-6), who has 33 saves this season, allowed the go-ahead run. Michael McGreevy worked five innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits while striking out three for St. Louis.

Orioles' LHP Trevor Rogers (9-8, 4.14 ERA) takes the mound for the series finale on Thursday. The Cardinals have not named a starter.

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