Alec Burleson drove in three runs with a two-run double and an RBI single as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the visiting Texas Rangers 5-3 on Wednesday to avoid a series sweep.
Andre Pallante (6-4) gave up one run on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. Riley O’Brien worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his 15th save.
Jordan Walker went 3-for-4 with three runs for St. Louis, which outhit Texas 11-6 to win the finale of the three-game set and snap the Rangers’ five-game winning streak. Burleson, Nelson Velazquez and Thomas Saggese had two hits apiece.
Joc Pederson had a two-run triple for Texas, which went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight baserunners.
Texas starter MacKenzie Gore (4-5) walked two of the first four batters he faced and fell behind 1-0 on Burleson’s two-out RBI single.
The Rangers pulled even in the third when Kyle Higashioka hit a leadoff single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Josh Jung’s two-out single.
The Cardinals moved ahead in the third on Burleson’s two-run double after Walker singled to begin the inning and Velazquez followed with a double to left field.
Luis Curvelo replaced Gore with two outs in the fifth after Jose Fermin doubled and scored on Saggese’s two-out triple.
Gore allowed four runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five.
The Rangers threatened with runners on second and third and two outs in the top of the sixth. Pallante was replaced by JoJo Romero, who escaped the jam by striking out pinch hitter Cody Freeman on three pitches.
St. Louis added to its lead with a run in the sixth when Walker singled with two outs and stole second base before scoring on Velazquez’s single.
Texas cut into the deficit against Romero with one out in the seventh on Pederson’s two-run triple to make it 5-3.
Rangers reliever Robby Ahlstrom made his major league debut and struck out two over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
