By STEVE OVERBEY
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ozzie Albies was not about to back down.
The Atlanta infielder finished a 10-pitch at-bat by singling in the tying run in the ninth inning to kick-start the Braves to a 4-3, 10-inning come-from-behind win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.
Brian McCann drew a bases-loaded walk off reliever Tyler Webb for the go-ahead run in the 10th.
Albies forced extra innings by fouling off five consecutive 3-2 pitches rom Andrew Miller before ripping a one-out hit to right to tie the score at 3-3.
“The same way he was trying to get me out, I was trying to get my knock,” Albies said. “I got the hit, we got the run. It was a huge win for us.”
Atlanta, which trailed 3-0 before scoring three in the ninth to tie it, has won 12 of 16 and captured its fifth successive series by winning two of three from St. Louis.
“As he kept fouling off more and more pitches, you could tell his confidence kept growing,” Atlanta infielder Freddie Freeman said. “He was throwing everything he had up there and he kept fouling it off. We were feeling pretty good in the dugout.”
Braves’ infielder Josh Donaldson also saw Albies’ confidence growing with each pitch.
“He relished that moment against a guy that’s got swing-and-miss stuff,” Donaldson said.
The Braves won for only the second time in 19 games when trailing after eight innings.
“We were dead in the weeds for eight innings,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “This is a resilient group. They played 27 outs. This was a good one.”
Freeman reached on an infield single with one out and moved to second on a walk to Donaldson and advanced to third on Nick Markakis’ fly ball to center field. After Austin Riley was intentionally walked to load the bases, McCann drew a five-pitch walk from Tyler Webb (0-1) that brought in Freeman with the go-ahead run.
Jacob Webb (3-0) picked up the win with a scoreless ninth and Luke Jackson got the last three outs for his seventh save in 11 tries.
Ronald Acuna Jr. had two hits for Atlanta.
The Cardinals have lost four of six and have not won back-to-back games since May 1.
Donaldson and Riley’s run-scoring hits in the ninth came off closer Jordan Hicks.
St. Louis starter Jack Flaherty gave up three hits and struck out seven in a 91-pitch outing over six scoreless innings.
The Cardinals scored two unearned runs against Atlanta starter Julio Teheran in the fourth. Kolten Wong reached on a two-base error by Riley, who dropped a line drive in left field. Harrison Bader followed with a run-scoring single to right. He eventually scored on a wild throw to the plate by Donaldson at third.
Yadier Molina pushed the lead to 3-0 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
“This one stings a little more than most,” St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said. “When you get to that point in the game, we’ve just got to be able to figure a way to bring it home.”
Teheran gave up just two hits and three runs – one earned – in five innings. He walked four and struck out one.
Molina suffered a bruise on his right thumb in the fifth inning. He stayed in the game.
“Just a bruise, no damage,” Molina said.
ROTATON CHANGE
The Cardinals announced that rookie LHP Genesis Cabrera will start on Wednesday at Philadelphia. He is replacing RHP Michael Wacha, who has been sent to the bullpen. Cabrera was 2-3 with a 6.35 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A Memphis.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: Optioned RHP Chad Sobotka to Triple-A Gwinnett. Sobotka had been on the injured list since April 29 with a left abdominal strain.
UP NEXT
Braves: LHP Max Fried (7-2, 2.88) will start the opener of a two-game set at home against Washington on Tuesday. He will be opposed by RHP Stephen Strasburg (4-3, 3.25). Fried has won his last three starts and allowed five earned runs over 17 innings.
Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (4-4, 4.82) will start against Philadelphia RHP Nick Pivetta (2-1, 8.35) in the first of a three-game series on Tuesday in Philadelphia. Wainwright is 7-2 with a 2.90 ERA in 13 career starts against the Phillies.
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