Cardinals blow an early 6-run lead and then recover to beat the Diamondbacks 9-6

St. Louis Cardinals’ Lars Nootbaar (21) smiles as he celebrates his two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Cardinals’ Willson Contreras, left, during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

PHOENIX (AP) — Nolan Arenado hit a three-run homer, Paul Goldschmidt had the go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning and the St. Louis Cardinals rebounded from blowing a six-run lead to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-6 on Friday night.

Lars Nootbaar added a two-run homer for the Cardinals in his return from the injured list. He missed the first 13 games with a left rib contusion suffered during spring training.

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suarez celebrates his three-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

“For the guys to keep their composure, stay in the game mentally, not allow the momentum to swing, the dugout was good,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “We were able to tack on some runs.”

The Diamondbacks rallied from a 6-0 deficit, tying it with six runs in the fifth. Eugenio Suárez had the big blow with a tying three-run homer, lifting a fly ball down the right field line off Giovanny Gallegos that just cleared the fence.

The Cardinals shook off the collapse and jumped ahead 7-6 when Goldschmidt leaned across the plate and slapped a single up the middle, scoring Brendan Donovan, who reached on a triple and finished with three hits.

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Giovanny Gallegos pauses at the pitcher’s mound after giving up a three-run home run to Arizona Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suarez, left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

St. Louis stretched the lead to 9-6 in the eighth on an RBI triple for Masyn Winn, followed by a sacrifice fly by Victor Scott II.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Steven Matz makes a fielding error on a grounder hit by Arizona Diamondbacks’ Blaze Alexander during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

“Nobody blinked,” Goldschmidt said. “We knew we were still tied. Just continued to play our game.”

Nootbaar flew out to left field in his first at-bat, but delivered a no-doubt shot in the third, turning on a fastball from Brandon Pfaadt and sending it 438 feet into the right field seats for a 6-0 lead.

Arenado’s homer was also his first of the season and gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead in the first. The eight-time All-Star drove a breaking ball from Pfaadt into the left field seats, easily clearing the outfield wall.

It snapped a 39-game homerless streak dating to last season.

Pfaadt gave up six runs and seven hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out four. Joe Mantiply (1-1) took the loss, giving up one run over two-thirds of an inning in relief.

It’s been a tough start to the season for the D-backs bullpen and it gave up three runs over three innings on Friday.

St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan celebrates his sacrifice fly against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

“We believe in the pieces we’ve got down there,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’ve just got to get them on a roll. Get them in some rhythm.”

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt walks off the field after giving up three runs to the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

St. Louis left-hander Steven Matz gave up four runs, but just one earned, over 4 2/3 innings. The three unearned runs came after Matz misplayed a grounder in the fifth, which led to the D-backs’ big inning.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Steven Matz throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

“Really kicking myself for botching that groundball,” Matz said. “Expecting the ball to hop up and it stayed down on me.”

Gallegos (2-0) gave up two runs over 1 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez felt tightness during a recent bullpen, which will delay his return to the mound. Lovullo said Friday he wasn’t sure of a timetable.

Cardinals: To make room for Nootbaar, C Pedro Pagés was optioned to Triple-A Memphis.

UP NEXT

The D-backs will send RHP Ryne Nelson (0-2, 8.22 ERA) to the mound Saturday night. The Cardinals will counter with RHP Kyle Gibson (1-1, 6.23).

St. Louis Cardinals’ Paul Goldschmidt flips his bat in the air after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, right, argues with umpire Quinn Wolcott during the fifth inning of the team’s baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras goes after a pitch that gets away from him during the seventh inning of the team’s baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. The Cardinals won 9-6. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras, left, drops a pitch allowing Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll to steal second base as Diamondbacks’ Lourdes Gurriel Jr., right, looks on during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 12, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)