Goldschmidt's 4 RBIs leads Cards over Yanks 11-4 in rain-interrupted doubleheader opener

ST. LOUIS -- — Paul Goldschmidt hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Luis Severino in a five-run third and Jack Flaherty pitched six shutout innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the New York Yankees 11-4 on Saturday in a rain-interrupted doubleheader opener.

Goldschmidt had four RBI and Nolan Gorman also homered for St. Louis, which reached double-digit runs for the first time since May 21.

Rain twice stopped the game, for a total of 2 hours, 37 minutes. The first stoppage, in the middle of the seventh, lasted 2:19. After 18 minutes of play, the game was delayed in the middle of the eighth for another 18 minutes.

Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson then made his big league mound debut and got three straight outs, throwing 11 pitches ranging from 82-86 mph.

The teams were scheduled to meet again in a night game.

Flaherty (5-5) won his second straight start after going 0-1 in his previous five. He allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two after giving up six runs in each of his previous two outings.

“You take the good and the bad and you learn from both," Flaherty said. “I had an emphasis on getting a better start this time out. Instead of trying to find a feel for the game, just attacking from pitch one.”

St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol was pleased with Flaherty's bounce-back effort.

“He really did a nice job with his fastball,” Marmol said.

Flaherty was scratched from a scheduled start against the Chicago Cubs last weekend in London because of right hip tightness. That extra rest seemed to have helped.

“It allowed me to clean some things up and mentally focus,” Flaherty said.

St. Louis is 7-2 in Flaherty's last nine starts.

Severino (1-3), coming off six shutout innings against Texas, gave up seven runs and nine hits over four innings as his ERA rose to 6.30. Severino’s 56 fastballs averaged 95.1 mph, down 1.5 mph from his season average.

“They took a good approach against me,” Severino said. “Even those pitches they hit out were good pitches.”

Goldschmidt's 15th homer put the Cardinals ahead, and Alec Burleson and Paul DeJong added RBI singles. Gorman hit a two-run homer in the fourth, the 10th home run against Severino in eight starts this season.

Tommy Edman had an RBI single, Andrew Knizner a two-run double and Goldschmidt a sacrifice fly in the fifth against Matt Krook.

Oswaldo Cabrera hit an RBI single in the seventh for the Yankees, who had won four of their previous five.

St. Louis rookie Jordan Walker went 0 for 5, ending his 17-game hitting streak.

Jake Bauers hit a two-run homer off Drew VerHagen in a three-run ninth.

BLUE BLOODS

The Yankees and Cardinals rank 1-2 in World Series titles. New York has won 27, St. Louis 11. The Cardinals have won three of the five times the teams have met in the Fall Classic.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: LHP Carlos Rodón (strained left forearm, back pain) allowed one hit over 3 2/3 scoreless innings for Class A Hudson Valley in his third rehab outing, striking out eight and walking two. He threw 61 pitches. ... LHP Nestor Cortes threw 20 pitches from a mound on Friday and will likely throw again on Monday or Tuesday. He has been out since June 5 with a left rotator cuff strain. ...

Cardinals: OF Brendan Donovan was held out of Saturday’s game with arm soreness. He is day to day.

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