ST. LOUIS — When the Cardinals have talked and talked and talked some more about the potential length of their lineup — and how that will help them maintain a top offense without thunderous power — they sometimes extend that definition to reach the bench.
That’s where the rally began Tuesday.
Edmundo Sosa, back in the lineup after going two weeks between starts, keyed a four-run fifth inning to reel in the Marlins and overtake them. Sosa’s triple drove in the first run in a burst that carried the Cardinals to a 5-3 victory at Busch Stadium. Dylan Carlson drove in two runs and added a ground-rule double in the fifth inning to give the Cardinals a lead they would not relinquish.
Three of the four runs in the rally came with two outs, and during the fifth inning the Cardinals got a base hit from six different batters. Sprinkled around Sosa’s triple and Carlson’s double that hopped the wall in right field were singles from batters such as the NL’s leading hitter Paul Goldschmidt and rookie Brendan Donovan. That is the kind of length and sustained rallies the Cardinals have lacked in recent seasons, suppressing the offense, and it’s one of the reasons they’ve risen into the top five for runs scored this year.
They apply pressure, not always power.
The timing of the rally made a winner of starter Dakota Hudson (6-4), but it took the relief work of Junior Fernandez and late-inning stalwarts, Giovanny Gallegos and Ryan Helsley, to secure the lead provided by the lineup. After Gallegos retired three consecutive batters who could have been the tying run, Helsley struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.
Seven of the last nine outs collected by Cardinals relievers were strikeouts.
