LuJames Groover and Ketel Marte hit back-to-back home runs as part of a six-run fourth inning to lift the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.
Tommy Troy was 2-for-5 with two runs, a double and two RBIs, and Ildemaro Vargas and Groover each had two RBIs for Arizona. Ryan Thompson (3-1) picked up the win after yielding one run on two hits with two strikeouts in two innings of relief.
Jose Fermin went 2-for-3 with three runs and a solo homer, while Blaze Jordan drove in three runs for the Cardinals.
The Diamondbacks sent nine batters to the plate as they racked up five hits and took a 6-1 lead in the fourth. Corbin Carroll led off with a single and Gabriel Moreno followed with a walk. Nolan Arenado grounded into a fielder’s choice, with Carroll advancing to third.
Troy’s bloop RBI single to shallow right evaded a diving Jordan Walker and tied the game at 1-1. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. popped out to first before the D-backs took a 3-1 lead when Vargas ripped a two-run double to left.
Groover launched his first career homer, and Marte followed with a 416-foot blast to left as Arizona’s advantage grew to 6-1.
St. Louis cut its deficit to 6-2 on Jordan’s sacrifice fly that scored Fermin in the fourth.
Earlier in the game, Fermin opened the second with a walk. Masyn Winn flied out, then Fermin stole second and moved to third on Lars Nootbaar’s groundout before Jordan rifled an RBI double to left, giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
In the seventh, Arizona stretched its lead to 8-2. With two outs, Troy’s RBI double plated Moreno. Gurriel followed with a double to score Troy.
Moreno added a sacrifice fly in the eighth and the D-backs led 9-2.
St. Louis added two runs in the ninth on Fermin’s homer and Jordan’s RBI single.
Arizona starter Mitch Bratt allowed one run on two hits with two walks and fanned three over three innings in his major league debut. Matthew Liberatore (3-5) gave up six runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings for the Cardinals.
