WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — The St. Louis Cardinals overcame a three-run deficit with two runs in the ninth inning Thursday afternoon to beat the Athletics 5-4 at Sutter Health Park, snapping a three-game losing streak and taking the rubber match of the three-game series.

St. Louis improved to 25-18, while the Athletics fell to 22-21. The game drew 8,975 fans and lasted 2 hours, 55 minutes.

The Cardinals grabbed the lead in the fifth inning when Victor Scott II led off with a solo home run to right field, his second of the season. The blast gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead after four scoreless innings against Athletics starter Jacob Lopez.

St. Louis extended its advantage in the sixth. Jordan Walker led off with a solo home run to right-center field, his 12th of the season, making it 2-0. Masyn Winn then reached on a throwing error by Lopez and moved to third on a second throwing error by second baseman Jeff McNeil. Nolan Gorman followed with an RBI single to right field, scoring Winn and pushing the lead to 3-0. Yohel Pozo singled, but the inning ended with a double play.

The Athletics had taken a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a solo home run by Nick Kurtz, his seventh of the season, off Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy. That remained the only run until the bottom of the seventh.

McGreevy pitched six innings, allowing five hits, one earned run and striking out three. He left with a 3-1 lead, but the Athletics mounted a fierce rally against the St. Louis bullpen.

In the seventh, Zack Gelof led off with a solo home run to left-center field off reliever JoJo Romero, cutting the lead to 3-2. Jeff McNeil walked, and then Colby Thomas singled. Kurtz singled to load the bases, and Shea Langeliers delivered a two-run single to center field, scoring McNeil and Thomas and giving the Athletics a 4-3 lead. The inning ended with the Cardinals trailing by one.

The Cardinals answered in the ninth against Athletics reliever Jack Perkins. With one out, Pozo singled. After a flyout and a lineout, JJ Wetherholt was hit by a pitch. Thomas Saggese, who had entered as a pinch runner, advanced to second. Iván Herrera then singled to left field, scoring Saggese and tying the game at 4-4. Jordan Walker followed with a double to right field, scoring Wetherholt and giving St. Louis a 5-4 lead.

The Athletics threatened in the bottom of the ninth against Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien. Kurtz was hit by a pitch to lead off, but Langeliers was called out on strikes following a successful challenge by the Cardinals. Tyler Soderstrom flied out to center, and Brent Rooker struck out swinging to end the game. O’Brien earned his 13th save of the season.

Matt Svanson (1-1) pitched a scoreless eighth inning, allowing one hit and striking out two to earn the win. Perkins (2-2) took the loss after allowing two runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings.

The Cardinals’ offense collected nine hits. Walker went 2 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. Scott was 1 for 3 with a home run and an RBI. Gorman went 1 for 4 with an RBI. Herrera and Pozo each had two hits.

The Athletics had 10 hits. Kurtz homered and singled, driving in one run. Langeliers had two hits and two RBIs. Gelof homered. Rooker doubled. McNeil walked twice.

St. Louis had won the series opener Tuesday 6-4 before losing 6-2 on Wednesday. The Cardinals entered the game having lost three straight overall, including two of three in San Diego against the Padres.

The Athletics had won three of their previous four games, including a 12-1 victory over the Phillies on May 7.

McGreevy worked efficiently through the first four innings, allowing only the first-inning homer. He retired seven straight batters at one point. Lopez pitched six innings for the Athletics, allowing three runs on six hits, walking four and striking out two.

The game featured two successful challenges. In the second inning, the Athletics challenged a called strike on José Fermín, and the call was overturned, resulting in a strikeout. In the seventh, the Cardinals successfully challenged a called strike on JJ Wetherholt, overturning the call to a strikeout. In the ninth, the Cardinals successfully challenged a pitch result on Shea Langeliers, overturning the call to a strikeout.

The Cardinals return home Friday to host the Kansas City Royals for a three-game series. The Athletics remain at home to host the San Francisco Giants for a three-game series beginning Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of St. Louis Cardinals 6, Athletics 5. Interstat’s ELO system had projected the Athletics with a 50.60 percent probability to win. The Athletics had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 9 went over the over/under line of 10.