SF Giants’ Whitcomb delivers 11th-inning walk-off single to defeat Cardinals

SAN FRANCISCO — Despite blowing a late lead for a second straight day, the Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Labor Day at Oracle Park as Shay Whitcomb delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning.

The Giants entered the top of the ninth inning leading 3-2, but the Cardinals’ Joshua Báez and Thomas Saggese led off with back-to-back singles to instantly put Dylan Smith on the ropes.

San Francisco was gifted the first out of the inning when Nathan Church popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt, but the Cardinals still advanced the tying run to third base when Bryan Torres drew a walk. José Fermín entered off the bench as a pinch-hitter and tied the game up at three apiece with a sacrifice fly.

Fresh off blowing another lead, Jung Hoo Lee led off the bottom of the ninth with a chopper that bounced into left field for a single. After Drew Gilbert popped out and Drew Cavanaugh struck out looking, Shay Whitcomb pulled a single into left field and advanced Lee into scoring position. Christian Koss worked an eight-pitch walk to load the bases, but Turner Hill flied out to end the inning.

St. Louis scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning when Leo Bernal’s bloop single to right field landed right in front of Lee, scoring Alec Burleson and giving the Cardinals a 4-3 lead. Despite the deficit, the Giants would have the heart of their order due up in the bottom of the 10th with the tying run automatically on second.

The Cardinals intentionally walked Rafael Devers after Riley O’Brien fell behind in a 3-1 count. Similar to last week’s Wednesday’s game against the Pirates, Bryce Eldridge made the decision sting with a game-tying single.

After Jonah Cox laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Devers to third and Eldridge to second, the Cardinals intentionally walked Lee to load the bases for Gilbert. Like the inning before, the Giants couldn’t capitalize. Gilbert hit a grounder right in front of home plate that turned into an inning-ending 2-3 double play; Bernal grabbed the ball, stepped on the plate for the force, then flipped to first for the double play. San Francisco challenged, but the call was upheld.

Jason Foley, pitching in his second inning of work, held the Cardinals scoreless in the top of the 11th, paving the way for the Giants to win it in the bottom half.

Following Drew Cavanaugh’s sacrifice bunt to advance Nate Furman to third base, Whitcomb hit a high chopper that allowed Furman to score with ease.

Logan Webb ended up with a no-decision after tossing six innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts to two walks.

Webb entered play fresh off what he described as the worst start of his career, allowing a career-high nine runs over just two innings. The three-time All-Star also had a clunker on Aug. 21 against the Boston Red Sox, allowing five runs over 2 2/3 innings. Even with six strong innings on Monday, Webb’s ERA currently sits at 4.10.

Devers stayed blistering hot with two doubles, two walks and an RBI, while Eldridge drove in three runs on a sacrifice fly and a double.