Moss' pinch-hit, walk-off single lifts Cards
ST. LOUIS -- New acquisition Brandon Moss delivered his first big hit with the Cardinals -- an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to deliver a 3-2 victory over the Rockies at Busch Stadium before 44,743.
Jason Heyward doubled to right with one out against Scott Oberg (2-2), and Randal Grichuk barely beat Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes' throw to first base to put runners at first and third. Moss' hit made a winner of reliever of Trevor Rosenthal (2-2), who struck out Drew Stubbs after Carlos Gonzalez doubled with two out in the top of the ninth. The Cards won three out of four in the series.
Video: COL@STL: Heyward lines double to right-field wall
"To finally come through today with a big hit, that's what I've been looking for all season long, is to be able to contribute like that," Moss said.
Much of the game was a contest between the lefty starters. The Cards' Jaime Garcia, in yet another game of low run support (19 runs in nine starts this year) didn't yield a hit until Charlie Blackmon's single in the fifth, and gave up one run on two hits with four strikeouts and four walks in five-plus innings. The Rockies' Yohan Flande held the Cards to four hits -- one Grichuk's two-run homer in the fifth -- and struck out three against no walks in five frames.
Video: COL@STL: Garcia turns in five-plus solid frames
The Rockies went 3-5 on their road trip, with three walkoff losses.
"Sometimes it just depends how you got there," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "If you played well and you battled like we did today, you turn the page. That's the consequence of playing in tight games, competitive games and battling like we have. Sometimes you lose tough games."
Video: COL@STL: Flande gives up two runs over five innings
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Ben, again: On Saturday night, the Rockies' Ben Paulsen drove in three runs on a home run and a two-run double. After Grichuk's homer put the Cards up, 2-0, Paulsen drove a double into the right-field corner with two on base against Steve Cishek to push in a run. Nolan Arenado scored the tying run on Cishek's wild pitch.
Randal's rip: The day after robbing the Rockies' Michael McKenry of a home run in center field, Grichuk hit one of his own an estimated 421 feet in the fifth inning to open the scoring. The blast, Grichuk's 12th of the year, extended his hitting streak to six games.
Video: COL@STL: Grichuk's two-run homer gives Cards the lead
One escape: Before losing in the ninth, Oberg, in his first appearance since being recalled from Triple-A, escaped a first-and-third jam in the eighth by forcing Kolten Wong into a double-play grounder.
"That was big-time and a difficult play all the way around -- a heck of a play with the game on the line," Weiss said. "With Reyes, it was a tough turn. That 1-6-3 double play is a tough one. Jose hung in there, Scotty got him the ball and he made a heck of a turn."
Video: COL@STL: Oberg induces big double play to end 8th
QUOTABLE
"I think he's pretty excited, and obviously the rest of the club was. We put him in a big spot. He's the kind of player we think is going to come up big for us. He's had some real nice at-bats and we have a lot of faith he's going to drive the ball deep. But we'll take a base hit." -- Cardinals manager Mike Matheny on Moss, who in his fourth game with his new team delivered his second hit
Video: COL@STL: Matheny talks about Moss' walk-off single
WHAT'S NEXT
Rockies: Righty Eddie Butler (3-7, 4.82 ERA) has had a no-decision and a loss in two starts since returning from Triple-A Albuquerque, but has thrown solidly. He hopes to break into the win column against the Mariners and star righty "King" Felix Hernandez (12-6, 3.02 ERA) Monday at 6:40 p.m. MT at Coors Field (Root Sports Rocky Mountain/850 KOA).
Cardinals: The Cardinals get Monday off before starting a three-game series at Cincinnati on Tuesday at 6:10 p.m. CT with John Lackey on the mound.
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