Two-run eighth sends Athletics past Cardinals
ST. LOUIS -- Capitalizing on a defensive mistake, the Oakland Athletics rallied for two runs in the top of the eighth inning on Saturday night to dump the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 at Busch Stadium.
Trailing 2-1 with runners at second and third and one out, Oakland's Max Muncy slapped a grounder to the right side that first baseman Brandon Moss dived for and gloved. But Moss tried to erase Khris Davis at the plate instead of taking a certain out at first and his throw was late.
Brett Eibner then lofted a sacrifice fly to center that scored Ryon Healy with the tiebreaking run as the A's (56-73) won for just the third time in their last 14 road games.
Daniel Coulombe (2-1) retired all four hitters he faced for the win, and Ryan Madson pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 32 chances.
Oakland received a quality start from rookie Zach Neal, who went six innings, allowing six hits and two runs (one earned). Neal walked none and struck out three.
Matt Bowman (2-5) was tagged with the loss as St. Louis (68-60) again failed to reach 10 games above .500 for the first time all year. The Cardinals' lead over Miami for the National League's second wild-card spot shrank to a game, pending the outcome of the Marlins' game with San Diego.
Randal Grichuk put the game's first run on the board with two outs in the bottom of the second, launching a 431-foot homer into the second deck in left field. It was Grichuk's career-high 18th homer of the year and St. Louis' 34th in the last 16 games.
The Cardinals added a run in the third as third baseman Ryon Healy booted Stephen Piscotty's two-out grounder, scoring Greg Garcia from third.
Oakland pulled within 2-1 in the fifth when Khris Davis drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Bruce Maxwell. Reliever Zach Duke struck out Healy with a breaking ball to strand three runners.
It was the first run charged to St. Louis rookie Alex Reyes in 14 innings. Making his first big league start, Reyes lasted 4 2/3 innings and 89 pitches, allowing two hits and a run with four walks and four strikeouts.
NOTES: St. Louis RHP Mike Leake (shingles) missed his scheduled start Saturday night and there's no timetable for his return. Leake is 9-9 with a 4.56 ERA in 25 starts. ... Oakland LHP Sean Doolittle (strained left shoulder) had to pull out of a rehab game for Triple-A Nashville Friday night. Manager Bob Melvin said Doolittle could return to the mound in a few days. ... The Cardinals inducted Joe Torre, Chris Carpenter, Terry Moore and Sam Breadon into their Hall of Fame prior to the game.