Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt hits walk-off single to beat Rays 6-5 in 10th inning

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St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt reacts after driving in the game-winning runs in the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)

St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt, right, is congratulated by teammates after driving in the game-winning runs in the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane) — St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt reacts after driving in the game-winning runs in the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, March 28, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)

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5:21 PM on Saturday, March 28

By DAVID SOLOMON

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis rookie JJ Wetherholt lined a two-run, 10th-inning single after Michael McGreevy tossed six hitless innings to help the Cardinals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-5 on Saturday.

Wetherholt, the seventh pick of the 2024 MLB amateur draft, lined a single to right field off Griffin Jax (0-1) in his second career game.

Jax walked Jordan Walker on four pitches to start the bottom of the 10th, and Victor Scott II laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Walker and automatic runner Nathan Church into scoring position.

McGreevy walked two and struck out five batters before departing after throwing 96 pitches.

Yandy Díaz singled up the middle off former Rays reliever Ryne Stanek (1-0) to leadoff the top of the 10th to give Tampa Bay a 5-4 lead.

Carson Williams lined a two-run single to left field off Stanek, and Nick Fortes stroked a single to right field to drive in Williams and cap a four-run ninth inning and tie the game.

Iván Herrera lined an RBI double to deep center field in the bottom of the eighth inning to expand the Cardinals lead to 3-0.

Junior Caminero lined a single up the middle off Riley O’Brien to leadoff the seventh and end the Cardinals’ attempt for the organization’s first no-hitter since 2001.

Rays starter Joe Boyle allowed two runs on three hits in the first inning before retiring the last 16 batters he faced.

Up next

Rays LHP Steven Matz is scheduled to make his first start since April 30, 2025, when he started for St. Louis at Cincinnati. He’ll be opposed by former teammate RHP Kyle Leahy, who will be making his second career start in Sunday’s series finale.

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