ATLANTA (AP) — Nolan Gorman hit a two-run homer in a four-run second inning and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame two homers by Marcell Ozuna to beat the Atlanta Braves 9-5 and avoid being swept in Saturday's split doubleheader.
The Braves won the first game 3-2 when Ozzie Albies hit a sacrifice fly with one out in the 10th inning.
Sonny Gray (10-6) gave up five runs and a career-high four homers, including two by Ozuna, in the second game. Gray had 10 strikeouts and said his outing “felt great.”
“I've always said solo homers can't beat you,” Gray said. “Unfortunately tonight I gave up four solo homers and it was cutting it close.”
Ozuna hit his 28th in the sixth, when Austin Riley and Eddie Rosario also homered. Rosario hit a two-run shot in the first game.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Gray “did a nice job navigating that lineup” and regrouped after the rocky sixth inning to pitch a perfect seventh.
“Finding a way to go out for that last inning was important,” Marmol said.
Atlanta right-hander Bryce Elder (1-4) gave up six runs in five innings after he was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to serve as the 27th man for the second game.
Elder fell behind 5-1 after he gave up four runs in the second, when Alec Burleson singled in a run after Gorman's 18th homer. Brandon Donovan added a homer in the fifth. Burleson drove in three runs with three hits.
The Braves had an apparent two-run homer by Riley in the first inning wiped out when the Cardinals successfully challenged and the review showed the ball to right field was foul.
In the opener, Adam Duvall scored on Albies’ game-winning fly ball to center off Chris Roycroft (1-2).
Rosario hit a tying two-run shot for Atlanta in the seventh. His single and homer in the second game gave him hits in six of nine games since his return to the Braves on April 8 after starting the season with the Nationals. He said he heard fans chanting: “Eddie! Eddie!”
“I feel blessed,” Rosario said. “I want to say thank you to Braves Country. I love it all the time when I hear my name.”
The Cardinals had a chance to take the lead in the top of the 10th but fell short. With Pedro Pagés standing on third base for St. Louis, Burleson lined into a double play off Pierce Johnson (3-1).
St. Louis right-hander Kyle Gibson allowed only three hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings before the Cardinals' bullpen blew a 2-0 lead.
Gibson was removed from the game after giving up a single to Travis d'Arnaud with two outs in the seventh. Rosario then homered off Ryan Fernandez.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Gibson was still in the game in the seventh on a “hitter-to-hitter" basis. “If he let a guy get on I was going to go and get him,” Marmol said.
Nolan Arenado homered for St. Louis.
Atlanta starter Charlie Morton allowed one run on six hits in six innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: Marmol said nagging hip tightness influenced closer Ryan Helsley's decision to skip the All-Star Game. Helsley, who leads the majors with 32 saves, was available on Saturday. ... RHP Kyle Leahy was added to the roster from Triple-A Memphis as the 27th man and pitched two scoreless innings in the second game to earn his first save.
Braves: RHP Ian Anderson allowed six hits and four runs in 3 2/3 innings in his first rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett, and his fifth minor league rehab start overall. Anderson is returning from 2023 Tommy John surgery.
UP NEXT
Atlanta rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (3-4, 4.43) will face right-hander Miles Mikolas (7-8, 5.13) in Sunday's series finale.
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