Fermín hits first major league homer to break tie in the Cardinals' victory over the Braves

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Gordon Graceffo (44) reacts after getting the final out of the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium.
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Gordon Graceffo (44) reacts after getting the final out of the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium. Photo credit Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

José Fermín hit his first major league home run to break a sixth-inning tie in the St. Louis Cardinals' 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on a soggy Sunday.

In his 159th career plate appearance, the 26-year-old Fermín smacked a sinker over the left-field fence off Jesse Chavez (0-1) with Masyn Wynn on base to cap the scoring.

Two rain delays totaled 4 hours, 2 minutes. The game lasted 2:38.

St. Louis Cardinals grounds crew pulls the tarp on the field during a rain delay in the third inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium.
St. Louis Cardinals grounds crew pulls the tarp on the field during a rain delay in the third inning of a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium. Photo credit Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Braves added a run off Gordon Graceffo (3-0) in the seventh. Graceffo threw 1 2/3 innings. Ryan Helsley pitched the ninth for his 19th save.

Matt Olson led the Braves with three RBIs on two hits.

Chavez started the fifth for Atlanta. He gave up two runs with two outs when Willson Contreras dropped a double in shallow right field to tie it at 3.

Reliever Steven Matz surrendered two runs in the fifth. Just before the game was halted for a second time, Olson singled home two runs for a 3-1 advantage.

St. Louis went up 1-0 in the second inning off Atlanta’s Daniel Davis, who was recalled before the game and made his seventh career start and first this season.

The Braves touched St. Louis starter Sonny Gray for a run in the third on three consecutive two-out singles in the third. Nick Allen scored on Olson’s single off the wall in right field.

St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol was ejected in the bottom of the ninth. It was his fourth ejection this season.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Thomas Saggese (25) walks off the field as ground crew runs on the field during a rain delay in the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium.
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Thomas Saggese (25) walks off the field as ground crew runs on the field during a rain delay in the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Busch Stadium. Photo credit Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Key moment

Winn’s hustle led to the St. Louis' first run. He walked and stole second base. With two outs, Victor Scott II hit a ball that bounced off Davis and caromed into vacant area between first and second. Winn never stopped at third and scampered home to score without a throw.

Key stat

Fermín is hitting .381 in nine games since his June 25 recall from Triple-A Memphis.

Up next

The Braves return to action Friday when they host the New York Yankees. The Cardinals return to play Friday at Arizona.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images