St. Louis Cardinals at Athletics: Final Score & Recap
Line Score
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| ATH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 2 |
The Story
The St. Louis Cardinals rallied past the Oakland Athletics 5-4 on May 14, 2026, at Sutter Health Park, erasing a late deficit with a two-run ninth inning that swung the DiamondIQ model's estimate from a competitive contest to a decisive Cardinals victory. Oakland had entered the game with a 47 percent pre-game win probability per the DiamondIQ model, and the Athletics appeared to be making good on that edge when Zack Gelof connected on a home run off Ryne Stanek in the seventh, a swing worth plus-15.6 percent in win probability, capping a three-run home half that gave Oakland a lead heading to the final frames. Shea Langeliers had set the table with a single off JoJo Romero earlier in that same inning, adding plus-20.8 percent in win probability for the Athletics.
The Cardinals dismantled the Oakland lead in the ninth against Jack Perkins, producing the two most impactful offensive plays of the game in rapid succession. Jordan Walker delivered a double that added plus-36.5 percent in win probability, the single largest swing of the contest, and Iván Herrera followed with a run-scoring single worth plus-33.4 percent to give St. Louis the go-ahead run. Walker finished as the game's top performer by WPA at plus-40.2 percent alongside a plus-1.5 RE24, while Herrera contributed plus-26.2 percent WPA on the night. Nick Kurtz posted the highest RE24 of any batter at plus-2.4 to go with plus-27.9 percent WPA for Oakland, providing the offensive bright spot in a losing effort.
Riley O'Brien closed the door for St. Louis in the bottom of the ninth, and Brent Rooker's strikeout to end the game was worth plus-27.0 percent in win probability from the Cardinals' perspective, sealing a comeback that left Oakland at zero percent final win probability. Michael McGreevy led all pitchers with plus-18.3 percent WPA for St. Louis, with Scott Barlow adding plus-10.8 percent and Justin Sterner contributing plus-7.1 percent as the Cardinals bullpen ultimately held firm after the shaky seventh.