The St. Louis Cardinals<\/a> could not recover from a six-run fourth inning Wednesday night at Busch Stadium, falling 9-4 to the Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a>. Matthew Liberatore<\/a> surrendered all six runs in that frame and took the loss. Jos\u00e9 Ferm\u00edn<\/a> and Blaze Jordan<\/a> provided most of the offense for the Cardinals, but the early deficit proved too much. Ryan Thompson<\/a> earned the win in relief for the Diamondbacks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Cardinals jumped ahead in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Jordan doubled to left to score Ferm\u00edn and put the Cardinals up 1-0. The lead held until the fourth, when the game turned for good.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Liberatore could not escape the fourth. Tommy Troy<\/a> singled home Corbin Carroll<\/a> to tie the game, and Ildemaro Vargas<\/a> followed with a two-run double that scored Nolan Arenado<\/a> and Troy for a 3-1 lead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Back in the fourth, Gabriel Moreno<\/a>‘s sacrifice fly extended the lead before LuJames Groover<\/a> crushed a two-run homer to left and Ketel Marte<\/a> added a solo shot to left-center. By the time the inning ended, the Diamondbacks led 6-1. Liberatore was charged with six earned runs on eight hits across 5 1\/3 innings, allowing two home runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Diamondbacks kept the pressure on against the Cardinals’ relievers. They added two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth to build a 9-2 lead. Gordon Graceffo<\/a> allowed two runs across 1 2\/3 innings, and Justin Bruihl<\/a> gave up an unearned run over two innings. The Cardinals’ lone error, charged to Jordan, helped extend the deficit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Cardinals refused to go quietly. Ferm\u00edn led off the ninth with a solo home run to left, his third of the season, to make it 9-3. Lars Nootbaar<\/a> followed with a triple, and the Cardinals pushed across another run before the rally ended. Jordan finished with three RBI, and Ferm\u00edn reached base three times while scoring three runs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Ferm\u00edn went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk, a stolen base, and three runs scored. He was the most dynamic player in the Cardinals lineup from start to finish.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Jordan doubled, added a sacrifice fly, and finished with three RBI. He accounted for the bulk of the Cardinals’ run production on a difficult night.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Down seven runs, the Cardinals scored twice in the ninth on Ferm\u00edn’s homer and a Nootbaar triple. The late rally showed some fight in an otherwise lopsided loss.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Diamondbacks sent ten men to the plate in the fourth and scored six times. Groover’s two-run homer and Marte’s solo shot were the biggest blows in the decisive inning.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Troy, Vargas, and Groover each drove in two runs, and Marte, Gurriel, and Moreno added one apiece. The Diamondbacks collected 12 hits and went 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Liberatore retired the first nine hitters he faced but fell apart in the fourth, when the Diamondbacks sent him to a six-run hole. He could not contain the damage, and two home runs sealed his rough night.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Cardinals managed eight hits but went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded six. Most of their offense came after they trailed by seven.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Even in a comfortable win, the Diamondbacks left nine runners on base and went 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position. They had chances to break the game open even sooner than they did.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Ryan Thompson (3-1, 2.86 ERA) earned the win for the Diamondbacks as Matthew Liberatore (3-5, 5.56) took the loss for the Cardinals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Cardinals and Diamondbacks close their series Thursday, June 25 at 6:45 pm Central at Busch Stadium. The Diamondbacks Zac Gallen<\/a> (3-6, 6.10) will take the mound against the Cardinals Michael McGreevy<\/a> (3-6, 3.35).<\/p>\r\n\r\nCardinals Strike First<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Fourth Unravels<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Diamondbacks Pull Away<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Cardinals Show Late Life<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What Went Right for the Cardinals<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Ferm\u00edn’s Big Night<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Jordan Drives In Three<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A Ninth-Inning Pulse<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What Went Right for the Diamondbacks<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A Six-Run Fourth<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Balanced Production<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What Went Wrong for the Cardinals<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Liberatore’s Fourth Inning<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Quiet Until It Was Too Late<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
What Went Wrong for the Diamondbacks<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Stranded Opportunities<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Quick Hits<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
Looking Ahead<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Main Photo:<\/h4>\r\n