By EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
The Cardinals built a five run lead heading in to the last inning, but the Athletics pushed hard to erase the deficit. But the rally fell short, and the Cardinals escaped with a 7-5 win.
The Athletics took an early 1-0 lead and had the Cardinals against the ropes in the third with two runners on and Kris Workman staring at two strikes. But Workman hit a trickled toward first that made its way into shallow right field, and two Cardinals were able to score to take a 2-1 lead.
The Cardinals took a 4-2 lead into the fifth and had a chance to blow the game wide open in the top of the sixth by loading the bases with only one out.
One runner was forced home on a walk, and another hit pushed in two more runs for the 7-2 lead.
But that’s all the Cardinals could get, and the Athletic came up to the plate and immediately recorded an out.
The next A’s batter walked, and two infield hits had the bases loaded with one out.
A walk forced a run home, and a sacrifice RBI put the score at 7-4. An infield hit scored another run, and the Athletics had the tying runs at second and third.
But a hit to second was fielded and tossed to first for the final out.