On April 26th, the San Francisco Giants hosted the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game. In the bottom of the ninth inning, with two outs and two strikes. Blake Sabol hit a two-run, walk-off home run to straightaway center field. Giving the Giants a 5-4 victory and countering a late rally by the Cardinals.
Earlier in the game, Paul Goldschmidt had broken a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth inning with a two-run single as part of a three-run surge by the Cardinals. However, the Giants were able to mount a comeback in the ninth inning, benefiting from an error by second baseman Tommy Edman on a grounder by Joc Pederson.
Mike Yastrzemski then hit an RBI double, bringing the Giants within one run. Despite striking out Thairo Estrada and Brandon Crawford, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley gave up the game-winning home run to Blake Sabol, who hit his fourth homer of the season.
Sean Hjelle, who pitched a scoreless top of the ninth inning, was credited with the win. The second of his major league career.
Earlier in the game, the Cardinals struggled to get their offense going. With five Giants pitchers limiting them to one run and four hits through seven innings. However, they were able to tie the game at 2-2 in the eighth inning with singles by Dylan Carlson and Paul DeJong, followed by an RBI double by Tyler O’Neill.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler then chose to pitch to Goldschmidt. Who hit the go-ahead single that short-hopped shortstop Crawford and deflected into left-center field.
Cardinals starter Jake Woodford pitched 5 1/3 innings. Allowing two runs and five hits, while walking one and striking out four.
The Giants scored their first run in the second inning after consecutive errors by Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras and center fielder Carlson allowed Thairo Estrada to score. Tommy Edman hit a solo home run for the Cardinals in the third inning. While Yastrzemski hit his fifth home run of the season in the fourth inning to give the Giants a 2-1 lead.
Yastrzemski finished the game with two hits, two RBIs, and two runs, while Sabol had two hits for the Giants. The Giants used a total of eight pitchers in the game. Goldschmidt, Contreras, and Carlson had two hits each for the Cardinals. Who lost their fourth game out of five on their Western trip.
