The San Francisco Giants erased a five-run deficit and beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at Oracle Park in one of the more painful losses St. Louis has absorbed this season. The Cardinals carried a commanding lead into the late innings, got solid pitching through the middle frames, and still walked away empty-handed after the Giants bullpen imploded — and then their own did, too. In a game that seemed well in hand, closer candidates Cade Winquest and George Soriano combined to allow six earned runs in fewer than two innings to hand San Francisco the win.

Cardinals Built a Lead, Then Watched It Disappear

St. Louis jumped on Giants starter Blade Tidwell early. The right-hander was knocked around for four earned runs on five hits and two walks over just four innings, giving the Cardinals a comfortable cushion heading into the middle of the game. Leo Bernal was the offensive catalyst for St. Louis, going 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Nolan Gorman added a 2-for-4 performance with an RBI, giving the Cardinals enough firepower to build what looked like a safe advantage.

Andre Pallante was efficient on the mound for the Cardinals, working five innings while allowing just one earned run on five hits with four strikeouts and zero walks. That is a quality start by any measure, and it had St. Louis positioned to win this one comfortably. Justin Bruihl followed with a perfect inning — three strikeouts, no hits, no walks — and Luis Gastelum added another clean frame with a strikeout. Through seven innings, Cardinals pitching had done its job.

The Bullpen Collapse That Cost St. Louis the Game

Everything unraveled in the final two innings. Cade Winquest could not hold the lead, allowing four earned runs on two hits and a walk in just two-thirds of an inning. George Soriano came in to try to stop the bleeding and instead surrendered two more earned runs on three hits in a third of an inning. The Giants, led by Bryce Eldridge (2-for-4, three RBI) and Jung Hoo Lee (2-for-4, two RBI), strung together enough contact to complete the comeback. Christian Koss added two hits as well to keep San Francisco's rally alive.

Matt Wilkinson earned the win for the Giants with two scoreless innings, striking out two and allowing just one hit. Trent Harris recorded the save with a clean ninth. Soriano was handed the loss after the Cardinals' bullpen could not secure the final three outs with the lead.

Key Performances

  • Leo Bernal (STL): 1-for-4, one home run, three RBI
  • Nolan Gorman (STL): 2-for-4, one RBI
  • Andre Pallante (STL): 5.0 IP, four strikeouts, one earned run, zero walks
  • Bryce Eldridge (SF): 2-for-4, three RBI
  • Jung Hoo Lee (SF): 2-for-4, two RBI
  • Cade Winquest (STL): 0.2 IP, four earned runs allowed — the turning point

Turning Point

The game turned the moment Winquest took the mound in the eighth. A five-run lead with two innings to play should be a formality at this level. Instead, the Cardinals were unable to record three outs without the deficit being wiped out entirely. Two pitchers, four combined earned runs, and a deficit that flipped from comfortable to catastrophic in the span of an inning.

What Is Next for the Cardinals

St. Louis will continue their road series against San Francisco. After dropping Wednesday's game in stunning fashion, the Cardinals will need to respond quickly. Games like this one — winnable, even seemingly won — are the ones that linger. The pitching staff has questions to answer in the bullpen, and the offense will need to continue producing to give starting pitchers like Pallante the support they deserve.