It was all lining up perfectly for the St. Louis Cardinals. A strike away from a series-clinching victory. A historic weekend from their pitching staff. A chance to make a statement against a powerhouse like the Padres. And then, in the blink of an eye, disaster struck.
Usually reliable closer Riley O'Brien was one strike away from tying superstar Mason Miller for the MLB lead in saves. But with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth inning, San Diego's Nick Castellanos launched a game-tying, two-run homer that silenced the Cardinals' dugout and sent Petco Park into a frenzy. The game went to extras, and after St. Louis failed to score in the 10th, Padres star Manny Machado sealed the comeback with a sacrifice fly, giving San Diego a 3-2 walk-off win.
It was a brutal finish for a team that had been in total control. The Cardinals' pitching staff had held the Padres to just four hits on the day and an astonishing 14 hits over the entire four-game series—the fewest hits St. Louis has ever allowed in a four-game set since 1901. But none of that mattered after O'Brien's third blown save of the season.
"What I love about this is that you've got a clubhouse that's pretty pissed right now," manager Oliver Marmol said after the game. "That says something. They didn't want to just split with the Padres. They wanted to take the series and prove what they're all about. I like that the mood is what it is. The expectations are high, and I love that."
The Cardinals had pushed their extra-inning record to 5-1 this season, but this one stung differently. In the winning 10th inning, the Padres didn't even get a hit. They capitalized on two walks from reliever Gordon Graceffo—one intentional—and scored when Machado lifted a fly ball to right field. Ramon Laureano beat Jordan Walker's throw to the plate, and just like that, a series that felt like a statement turned into a missed opportunity.
"That's a good lineup across the way, and we held them down for the most part," Marmol added. "The rotation did a nice job. The bullpen did a nice job. They got the closer today, but outside of that, the preparation has been incredible."
For a team that prides itself on resilience and a winning culture, Sunday's collapse was a painful reminder that in baseball, nothing is over until the final out. But if the mood in the clubhouse is any indication, the Cardinals aren't about to let one heartbreaking loss define their season.