Sep 27, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) scores on a single by Nolan Arenado, San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) watches the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory photo credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images Lars Nootbaar homered, tripled and drove in three runs to lift the visiting Cardinals to a 6-3 win on Friday night in the opener of a season-ending three-game series San Francisco Giants.
Masyn Wynn had a double, a single and a brace for St. Louis (82-78), which secured its 16th win in the last 17 seasons.
The Giants (79-81) are now guaranteed a winless season as Jerar Encarnacion hit a two-run homer, his fifth, and Mike Ya Mike Yastrzemski hit an RBI double in the second triple to help the home team win 3-1.
Nootbar's 12th homer in the third inning cut the deficit in half, and the Cardinals took the lead for good with four runs in the fourth inning.
Winn tied the game with a single, Alec Burleson singled to Winn to give St. Louis the lead, Nolan Arenado's ground-rule double ended Landon Rupp's night, and Nutt Barr hit his three-pointer into midfield to make it 6-3.
Rupp (1-2) gave up six runs and nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four.
Cardinals starter Myles Mikolas (10-11) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings, striking out four and walking one.
John King, Andrew Kittredge, Matthew Liberatore and Ryan Helsley recorded the final 12 outs. Helsley gave up one hit and struck out two in his 49th save.
Arenado had two doubles and two singles for the Cardinals, who have won five of their past six games. Jordan Walker had a double and a single and Ivan Herrera had a double.
Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto and Brett Wiseley each had two hits for the Giants, who have not posted a win since 2021.
–Scene-level media