"I know we are playing solid baseball right now," closer Sam Dyson said after earning his 13th save. "We are fighting through innings, guys are coming up clutch. We're a tough team to play right now. Everybody is coming to the ballpark knowing we have a high chance of winning, and we are feeding off the intensity of each other."
It marked the first time the Cardinals have been swept on a homestand of at least five games since 1983.
"The wins will be there if we clean up our game," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Every team has these types of things that they have to fight their way through. You can't just sit back on your heels and expect them to change."
Moreland ruled safe in the 8th
TEX@STL: Moreland ruled safe after replay
Mitch Moreland is originally called out after a hit in the 8th, but after the Rangers challenge, the call is overturned for a hit
The Cardinals led, 4-3, in the eighth when Rougned Odor hit a two-out double off right-handed reliever Matt Bowman. The left-handed-hitting Mitch Moreland, who homered earlier, was walked intentionally so Bowman could face Elvis Andrus, a right-handed hitter.
"The execution of it was fine," Bowman said of the double. "The pitch selection, obviously if you execute it well and he still hits it, then you tip your cap to him, and think maybe another pitch would have worked better."
Andrus hit a grounder to shortstop Aledmys Diaz, who went for the force at second. Umpire Mark Ripperger ruled Moreland out, but the Rangers challenged and the call was overturned, as Moreland's slide beat Diaz's throw to second baseman Matt Carpenter. That loaded the bases for Profar, who pinch-hit for pitcher Tony Barnette and lined a single over Diaz to drive home the tying and go-ahead runs.
"I was ready to hit all day long," Profar said. "Great job by Mitch beating that ball out and giving me the chance."
Each team hit two solo home runs. Stephen Piscotty and Matt Holliday both homered for the Cardinals, while Moreland and Nomar Mazara went deep for the Rangers.
Mazara's solo homer
TEX@STL: Mazara's cranks a solo homer to right field
Nomar Mazara cranks his 11th home run of the season to right in the top of the 6th inning
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Helping his cause: Mike Leake singled to center field off Rangers starter Martin Perez with one out and nobody on in the third inning. The pitcher moved station to station, and three batters later, he scored on Holliday's sac fly, which gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead. It was Leake's third hit in his last four at-bats, and marked the second game in a row a Cardinals starter got a hit and came around to score.
Holliday's sacrifice fly
TEX@STL: Holliday hits a sac fly to plate Leake
Mike Leake scores on Matt Holliday's sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Cardinals the lead in the 3rd inning
"I saw a couple changeups and fastballs," Leake said. "He was just missing off a little bit, and it gave me a chance to go deep."
Moreland crushes one: Back in the lineup after not starting for two games, Moreland hit his 11th home run of the season in the fourth. Moreland crushed a 1-1 fastball from Leake over the Cardinals' bullpen and deep into the right-field bleachers. Statcast™ projected it at 456 feet and with a 111-mph exit velocity.
Statcast: Moreland's long homer
TEX@STL: Moreland belts a 456-foot home run
Statcast measures the exit velocity and projected distance of Mitch Moreland's deep home run to right field
"Yeah, I got that one pretty good," Moreland said.
Wrong choice: After Bowman gave up a double to Rougned Odor with two outs in the eighth, the Cardinals elected to intentionally walk Moreland. Andrus followed by grounding to Diaz, whose throw to second proved not to be on time, keeping Texas' rally going.
"I noticed Moreland was a slow runner," Diaz said. "I was just thinking get the ground ball and throw to second."
Cards walk ahead: Barnette entered the game with the bases loaded and one out in a tied game in the sixth. He struck out Matt Adams, but walked Eric Fryer on four pitches to force in a run and give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead. Barnette still got out of the inning and ended up as the winning pitcher when the Rangers rallied.
Fryer's RBI walk
TEX@STL: Fryer walks in a run in the 6th
Eric Fryer's bases-loaded walk drives home Stephen Piscotty in the bottom of the 6th inning
"Obviously you want to avoid something like that, but these guys, time and time again, pick each other up," Barnette said. "It's fun to be a part of."
QUOTABLE
"Say what you want, I don't really care, but this team is way better than anybody is giving us credit for. The proof is in what you do, and we haven't done it on a consistent basis." -- Matheny, on St. Louis losing games at home
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Rangers have won six straight regular-season games at Busch Stadium since losing the final two games of the 2011 World Series here.
REPLAY REVIEW
Tommy Pham lined a single to right with two out in the fifth and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo let it get past him for an error. Pham raced to third and was originally called safe despite two strong relay throws from Choo and second baseman Odor. The Rangers challenged the call, and it was overturned for the third out.
Rangers challenge Pham at 3rd
TEX@STL: Pham advances to 3rd, Cardinals challenge
Tommy Pham singles and tries to take third on an error, but the Rangers challenge the play and the safe call is overturned to end the inning
Carpenter slapped a ball into left-center field in the seventh. As he saw Rangers center fielder Ian Desmond field the ball, Carpenter decided to try to stretch the single into a double. Odor applied the tag as Carpenter overslid the bag. Matheny challenged the out call, but it was confirmed for the first out of the inning.
Rangers nab Carpenter at second
TEX@STL: Rangers tag out Carpenter at second base
After Matt Carpenter singles to left and is tagged out at second, the Cardinals challenge the play and the umpires confirm the call
"The thought was if he pushed him off the base, if he goes at him hard, how are they going to rule that?" Matheny said. "We have nothing to lose in making sure that they take another look and have some time to think about it and get the right call."
WHAT'S NEXT
Rangers: The Rangers return home to face the Orioles at 7:05 p.m. CT on Monday in Arlington. It's a one-game makeup from a rainout on April 17, and left-hander Derek Holland will pitch for Texas.
Cardinals: The Cards will start a nine-day, eight-game road trip Monday night in Chicago against the Cubs. Jaime Garcia will take the mound for St. Louis. He hasn't won a game at Wrigley Field since 2011. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. CT.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.
Nick Krueger is a reporter for MLB.com based in St. Louis.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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