St. Louis right fielder Lars Nootbaar makes a running catch on a ball hit by Detroit’s Jonathan Schoop in the ninth inning of Saturday’s game in St. Louis. The Tigers beat the Cardinals 6-5 in 10 innings. Tom Gannam/Associated Press
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals extended a losing steak to eight for the first time in 16 years, losing to the Detroit Tigers 6-5 on Saturday in Adam Wainwright’s return from the injured list as Akil Baddoo hit a go-ahead double in the 10th inning.
St. Louis is on its longest skid since nine straight losses from Sept. 7-15, 2007. At a National League-worst 10-24, the Cardinals are 14 games under .500 for the first time since ending the 1997 season at 73-89.
A squirrel got one of the day’s biggest ovations when he scampered across the infield in the bottom of the seventh.
Baddoo doubled off Giovanny Gallegos (1-2) to drive in automatic runner Jonathan Schoop.
Wainwright, starting his 19th and what he said will be his final major league season, allowed four runs and eight hits over five-plus innings struck out five and walked none. He had started the season on the injured list with a groin injury.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
YANKEES 3, RAYS 2: Harrison Bader flared a two-run single during a three-run eighth inning, and visiting New York rallied from a two-run deficit to beat major league-leading Tampa Bay.
Tampa Bay lost for the first time this year in a game in which the Rays scored first. The Rays dropped to 18-3 at Tropicana Field.
A day after hitting a three-run homer, Bader singled as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and put the Yankees ahead 3-2 on his 179-foot, 64.2 mph hit off Kevin Kelly (3-1).
NATIONAL LEAGUE
ROCKIES 5, METS 2: Touted rookie Ezequiel Tovar had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Austin Gomber won his third straight outing after a terrible start to the season as visiting Colorado beat slumping New York.
Elias Díaz had a pair of two-out RBI singles, boosting his batting average to .452 (14 for 31) with runners in scoring position, and the last-place Rockies won for the fifth time in six games.
Tylor Megill (3-2) was wild early and late, getting into trouble with three walks in 4 2/3 innings during another shaky performance by a Mets starter this year.
CUBS 4, MARLINS 2: Nick Madrigal’s two-run single in the eighth inning lifted Chicago to a win over visiting Miami.
Jorge Soler hit a solo homer for the Marlins, who’ve dropped five in a row since sweeping the Cubs last weekend in Miami.
Madrigal’s go-ahead hit off A.J. Puk (3-1) gave the Cubs their first lead. The next batter, pinch-hitter Miguel Amaya, followed with an RBI single – his first career hit.
NOTES
WHITE SOX: Designated hitter Eloy Jiménez was hospitalized on Saturday due to abdominal pain.
“He had some abdominal pain last night and it intensified throughout the night,” White Sox Manager Pedro Grifol said. “This morning we took him to the hospital for further evaluation and he’s still there. We should know something shortly.”
Jiménez is on a season-high eight-game hitting streak after going 1 for 4 with a single and two strikeouts in Friday night’s 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds. He went 3 for 5 with a homer and three RBI on Thursday.
YANKEES: New York Manager Aaron Boone expects slugger Aaron Judge will return from a right hip strain for Tuesday night’s game against the Oakland Athletics.
Judge worked out Saturday at the team’s minor league complex in Tampa, Florida, about 30 minutes from where the Yankees were playing the Rays.
“I think he’s doing really well,” Boone said before playing the Rays. “I think we’re going to be in a good spot come Tuesday to where he’s done everything for several days.”
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