WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Nick Kurtz hit a grand slam, J.T. Ginn pitched six innings of one-run ball and the Athletics defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 on Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park.

The grand slam by Kurtz in the fifth inning turned a one-run deficit into a four-run lead and proved to be the decisive blow. Ginn allowed one unearned run on nine hits, struck out three and walked one to improve to 2-1. The run he allowed came in the fourth inning after a fielding error by right fielder Colby Thomas.

St. Louis struck first in the top of the fourth. Nolan Gorman singled and Masyn Winn reached on a single that was misplayed by Thomas, allowing Gorman to advance to third. Nathan Church followed with a single to center field, scoring Gorman and giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. The Cardinals left two runners on base when Pedro Pagés and Victor Scott II struck out.

The Athletics answered in a decisive fifth inning. With one out, Darell Hernaiz singled and Michael Stefanic singled, putting runners at first and second. Shea Langeliers walked to load the bases. Kurtz then hit his sixth home run of the season deep to center field, the ball carrying over the outstretched glove of Victor Scott II for a grand slam that gave the Athletics a 4-1 lead. The slam was the third of Kurtz’s career and extended his on-base streak to 36 games. Colby Thomas followed with a double but was left stranded when Brent Rooker struck out and Henry Bolte walked before Jonah Heim struck out.

Matthew Liberatore took the loss for St. Louis. He allowed four earned runs on nine hits over five innings, striking out five and walking one. He fell to 2-2.

The Athletics added a run in the seventh. Kurtz doubled to left field and Thomas singled, putting runners at first and third. Rooker flied out to right, and a throwing error by Jordan Walker allowed Kurtz to remain at third and Thomas to move to second. Bolte then lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Kurtz and making the score 5-1.

The Cardinals scratched across a run in the top of the seventh. Pagés singled, Scott II struck out, but J.J. Wetherholt singled to put runners at first and third. Iván Herrera then hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Pagés and cutting the lead to 5-2. Alec Burleson singled to put two on, but Jordan Walker struck out to end the threat.

Zack Gelof provided the final margin in the eighth, hitting his fourth home run of the season to center field off Gordon Graceffo.

The Athletics’ bullpen held the Cardinals at bay. Luis Medina pitched a scoreless eighth, Jack Perkins worked a scoreless ninth with one hit and one strikeout, and Hogan Harris and Justin Sterner combined for two-thirds of an inning in the seventh, with Sterner allowing one earned run. Matt Svanson pitched a scoreless inning for the Cardinals.

Each team finished with 13 hits. For the Athletics, Kurtz went 2 for 4 with a home run, a double and four RBIs. Gelof went 1 for 4 with a home run. Hernaiz had three singles and Stefanic had two singles. For the Cardinals, Church had two hits and an RBI, Burleson had three hits, and Wetherholt had two hits.

The attendance was 10,182 and the game lasted 2 hours, 39 minutes.

St. Louis fell to 24-18 while the Athletics improved to 22-20. The Cardinals had won the previous game in the series, 6-4 on Tuesday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of St. Louis Cardinals 6, Athletics 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected the Athletics with a 50.60 percent probability to win. The Athletics were installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 8 went over the over/under line of 9.5.