One inning after Randal Grichuk seemingly had given the Cardinals enough of a cushion with a two-run homer in the eighth, he came through again in the ninth.
After the Chicago Cubs’ Willson Contreras had tied the score with a three-run homer in the ninth, Grichuk, batting with the bases loaded and two out, hit a line single to the left-center-field wall to score Jose Martinez with the winning run in a 4-3 Cardinals’ victory over the defending World Series champions at sold-out Busch Stadium.
Martinez, the surprise scourge of spring training, doubled with one out in the ninth off losing pitcher Mike Montgomery.