Murphy hits two long HRs, Braves beat Cardinals 6-5
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Sean Murphy hit the two longest home runs at Busch Stadium this season and the Atlanta Braves held on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-5 on Friday night.
Murphy hit a 437-foot, two-run shot out to left-center field on an 0-2 pitch from Matthew Liberatore for a 3-0 lead in the first. Murphy fouled off seven pitches in a 13-pitch at-bat before hitting a 440-foot solo shot to center for a 5-2 advantage in the third. Murphy and Ronald Acuña Jr. both had three of the Braves’ 12 hits.
Enyel De Los Santos (3-2) got the win with two perfect innings following starter Grant Holmes, who allowed five runs and nine hits in three innings. Raisel Iglesias pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 10th save in 14 opportunities — and first since June 24 against the Mets.
Acuña hit the third pitch from Liberatore for a double and scored on Austin Riley’s one-out single for the Braves’ first run. Michael Harris II doubled and scored on Acuña’s single for a 4-2 lead in the second. Jurickson Profar doubled following Murphy’s second homer and scored on a single by Drake Baldwin for a 6-2 advantage.
Brendan Donovan singled leading off the Cardinals’ first against Grant Holmes. Alec Burleson had a one-out double to drive in the Cardinals’ first run for a second straight day. Willson Contreras’ RBI single cut it to 3-2.
Pedro Pagés had a two-out bases-loaded single in the third to drive in two and Victor Scott II followed with an RBI single to get the Cardinals to 6-5.
Atlanta third baseman Austin Riley left after three innings with what the team said was ‘abdominal tightness’.
Key moment
Burlson drew a walk leading off the seventh against Austin Cox before Contreras greeted replacement Rafael Montero with a single. Montero retired the next three to keep it 6-5.
Key stat
The Braves beat the Cardinals for the 1,000th time but trail by 106 wins in the all-time series — with 18 ties.
Up next
The Braves haven’t announced a Saturday starter opposite Cardinals RHP Erick Fedde (3-9, 4.79 ERA).
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