St. Louis Cardinals Rally Past Minnesota Twins

MINNEAPOLIS -- — Lars Nootbaar hit a two-run single with two out in the ninth inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals rallied past the Minnesota Twins for a 3-2 win on Sunday.

Victor Scott II homered for St. Louis, which has won four of five overall.

“I love this one. We just snatched it from them,” manager Oliver Marmol said.

Willi Castro went deep and Royce Lewis hit an RBI double for Minnesota, which lost for the first time in 60 games this season when leading after the eighth inning. The Twins trail AL Central-leading Cleveland by three games.

Nolan Arenado began the Cardinals’ winning rally with a one-out single against Jhoan Duran (6-7). Brendan Donovan then hit a grounder to second baseman Edouard Julien, who threw the ball into left field while trying to start a game-ending double play.

Pinch-runner José Fermín raced to third and Donovan took second.

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“First time that I’ve ever (missed) on a double-play throw arm-side,” Julien said. “Maybe my feet weren’t turned enough, but I usually do that. I don’t know. It just happened in a bad moment.”

After Tommy Phan struck out looking, Nootbaar bounced a grounder into left field.

“With a guy like that I was just, ‘Get something over the plate and put a good swing on it.’ Because he’s got such electric stuff, obviously,” Nootbaar said.

Shawn Armstrong (3-2) got two outs for the win, and Ryan Helsley worked the ninth for his MLB-leading 40th save.

The Twins RHP Bailey Ober (12-5, 3.54 ERA) is scheduled to face Atlanta LHP Max Fried (7-7, 3.57 ERA) when the teams begin a three-game series Monday in Minneapolis. The first pitch is 6:40 PM on ESPN 102.3/AM 1000 KSOO.