Nolan Arenado's single to left field to start the fifth inning, gave the Cardinals their first base runner of the game.

Cardinals close the gap

The Cardinals pulled within a run and chased Pfaadt from the game in the sixth inning.

After having put just one man on base through the first five innings, the Cardinals put three runners on to start the sixth via consecutive walks by Masyn Winn, Michael Siani and Brendan Donovan.

Willson Contreras' fly ball to center field was too shallow to attempt to tag-up, but Nootbaar swatted a single on the ground into left field for a two-run base hit.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo brought in reliever Scott McGough, who induced an inning-ending double play from Arenado that left the Cardinals trailing by a run heading into the seventh inning.

An old friend returns to Busch

Former Cardinals pitcher Jordan Montgomery is scheduled to start Wednesday's game for the Diamondbacks against the Cardinals.

Montgomery, who won a World Series ring with the Texas Rangers last fall, made 32 starts for the Cardinals during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The Cardinals acquired him from the New York Yankees in the deal that sent Harrison Bader to Yankees prior to the trade deadline in 2022.

He went 12-12 with a 3.31 ERA with 169 strikeouts and 48 walks in 184 2/3 innings. He posted a WHIP of 1.19 and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.52-to-1 during his time with the Cardinals. Last summer with Montgomery approaching free agency at the end of season, the Cardinals traded Montgomery and relief pitcher Chris Stratton to the Rangers in exchange for left-handed reliever John King, pitching prospect Tekoah Roby, minor-league infielder and prospect Thomas Saggese on July 30.

Montgomery signed with the Diamondbacks as a free agent on March 29.

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