Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter launched a two-run home run off lefty Marc Rzepczynski in the eighth inning on Thursday, spoiling a strong start from Indians starter Trevor Bauer and helping St. Louis claim a 2-1 victory at Progressive Field.
Following a one-out walk to Peter Bourjos in the eighth, Bauer was pulled in favor of Rzepczynski, who had not given up a home run to a left-handed batter since June 12, 2012. That streak came to a close when Carpenter lifted a 2-1 pitch to deep center, where it just cleared the wall beyond the reach of a leaping Michael Bourn.
“Honestly when I hit it, I thought I hit it way out,” Carpenter said. “But then I saw the wind, and I knew that there might be a play on it. Bourn was running after it and had a shot to rob it, but just missed it. It was close.”
The late homer allowed St. Louis starter Michael Wacha to walk away with a no-decision — maintaining his 5-0 record to start the season — after relinquishing just one run over his five-plus innings of work. Wacha’s lone blemish came in the sixth inning, when Michael Brantley belted a leadoff home run. The righty scattered five hits and finished with seven strikeouts and two walks.
One day after Tribe ace Corey Kluber tied a nine-inning club record with 18 strikeouts against the Cardinals, the 24-year-old Bauer piled up 10 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings in a no-decision for the Indians. It represented the third career double-digit strikeout showing for Bauer, who walked three and allowed four hits in the victory.
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