DETROIT (AP) — Iván Herrera’s two-run single capped a four-run fifth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals salvaged the finale of a three-game series with a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night.
Nolan Gorman, Victor Scott II and Pedro Pagés each scored a run and knocked in another for the Cardinals.
St. Louis starter Kyle Leahy (1-1) gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. Riley O’Brien pitched the ninth for his second save.
Kerry Carpenter led the Detroit offense with his second homer in two days. Tigers starter Keider Montero (0-1) gave up three runs — two earned — and three hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Montero was recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Saturday after Justin Verlander was placed on the 15-day injured list due to left hip inflammation. Verlander had been scheduled Sunday to make his first start at Comerica Park in a Tigers uniform since the 2017 season.
Colt Keith led off the Detroit third with a single. Leahy retired the next two batters before Carpenter launched a 425-foot drive to straightaway center field to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
The Cardinals scored their first two runs in the fifth on Pages’ RBI single and Scott’s squeeze bunt. Herrera smacked his two-out, two-run single off Enmanuel De Jesus.
Javier Báez’s sacrifice fly in the sixth cut the Cardinals’ lead to 4-3. Gorman’s sacrifice fly in the eighth made it 5-3.
Up next
Cardinals: RHP Andre Pallante (1-0, 0.00 ERA) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game series Monday night at Washington.
Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (0-1, 1.50) pitches the opener of a four-game series Monday night at Minnesota.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
Dana Gauruder, The Associated Press
