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Cardinals beat Tigers 5-2

The St. Louis Cardinals needed something to get them going on Sunday against the Detroit Tigers.
 
Out of nowhere - again - a squirrel appeared.
 
In an episode sure to revive St. Louis fans' memories of the 2011 Rally Squirrel, this game at Comerica Park was scoreless going into the seventh inning. That's when a squirrel took up residence between second and third base.
 
There was a delay and, with some prompting from the Tigers infield, the critter moved into foul territory and eventually made its escape in right field.
 
The Cardinals wound up scoring five times in the inning and avoided a series sweep with a 5-2 victory.
 
During the 2011 NL Division Series, a squirrel cut across the diamond at Busch Stadium, running right past home plate during a game against Philadelphia. The Cards went on to win the playoff series and later the championship - their World Series rings even depicted a squirrel.
 
The Cardinals lost the first two games of the series in walk-off fashion and didn't have a baserunner until the sixth against Michael Fulmer.
 
St. Louis, which has a one-game lead for the second NL wild card spot, won for the third time in eight games.
 
Detroit's four-game winning streak was snapped.
 
John Gant (7-5) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six.
 
Carlos Martinez pitched the ninth for his second save. After the game, Shildt said Martinez will replace Bud Norris as the team's closer.
 
Fulmer (3-11) was perfect through five innings but only got four more outs. He allowed five runs on five hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five.
 
Fulmer fell to 0-6 in his last nine starts, with the Tigers losing all nine.
 
In the seventh, Marcell Ozuna and DeJong both hit infield singles with one out, and Wong followed with an RBI single to left. Yairo Munoz followed with a flyball down the right-field line that Niko Goodrum dropped, allowing the second run to score.
 
Greg Garcia was intentionally walked, loading the bases, and Carson Kelly hit the third infield single of the inning to make it 3-0. Victor Alcantara replaced Fulmer and allowed a sacrifice fly to Matt Carpenter before Jose Martinez's RBI single gave the Cardinals a five-run lead.
 
The Tigers got their two runs in the bottom of the seventh, thanks to doubles from Nicholas Castellanos, James McCann and Ronny Rodriguez.
 
Carpenter and Shildt were both ejected after Carpenter was called out on strikes to end the ninth.

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