ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals' offense didn't explode or unleash an onslaught that exorcised all the demons of its recent struggles, but it did provide key hits in crucial moments to stop the recent losing slide and, perhaps, allow for a momentary sigh of relief.

The two sluggers the Cardinals dropped down in the lineup in recent days, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman, came through with pivotal home runs to drive in the tying and winning runs in a 5-3 walk-off win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, last year's NL pennant winners, in the opening game of a three-game series in front an announced crowd of 33,036 at Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals first walk-off win since Aug. 30, 2023, snapped a four-game losing slide.

Gorman's walk-off two-run home run came against Diamondbacks left-handed reliever Kyle Nelson, who'd held left-handed hitters to a .167 batting average and without an extra-base hit this season.

Gorman, an Arizona native, entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning. His ninth-inning at-bat was his only plate appearance of the game. He recorded the first walk-off RBI of his career.

The Cardinals (10-13) homered for the first time since April 12. Their two runs in the sixth inning snapped a string of 14 consecutive innings without a run scored.

Goldschmidt, a former Diamondbacks star, recorded his first extra-base hit since he homered on opening day in Los Angles. He now has 10 home runs against his former team since joining the Cardinals.

Lars Nootbaar went 1-for 4 and now has all five of his RBIs this season against the Diamondbacks.

Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out seven and left the game with his club trailing 3-0 after he threw 94 pitches. Lynn worked around traffic in multiple innings. He stranded eight men on base in his five innings.

Diamondbacks draw first blood

Lance Lynn gave up two runs in the second inning on three hits, a walk, a hit batter and a sacrifice fly.

Joc Pederson doubled into the right field corner to start the inning, then Pederson scored on a Eugenio Suarez single to left field. The next batter, Gabriel Mareno, reached when Lynn's fastball veered off the plate inside and hit Mareno. Jake McCarthy then walked to load the bases.

With no outs and three men on, Lynn stuck out Diamondbacks No. 9 hitter Kevin Newman swinging.

Ketel Marte's sacrifice fly drove in the second run of the inning, and got Lynn to two outs. Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll legged out an infield single when he beat Lynn to first base on a grounder fielded by first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, but Lynn struck out Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and stranded the bases loaded.

The Diamondbacks added to the lead in the fifth inning when three consecutive batters reached base with one out. Christian Walker walked, Pederson singled and Suarez belted a double down the left field line that bounced over the outfield wall for a ground-rule double. Walker scored on the double.

Suarez went 3 for 3 against Lynn with two RBIs, two doubles and a run scored.

Pfaadt turned tables on the Cardinals

Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt made his third consecutive start against an NL Central Division opponent, and two of his last three starts have come against the Cardinals.

Pfaadt started the series opener against the Cardinals at Chase Field in Arizona on April 12. In that outing, he allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks. He gave up home runs to Nolan Arenado and Lars Nootbaar in that game. Nootbaar had just rejoined the team after he started the season on the injured list. He went six innings, and he did not factor into the decision.

Monday night, Pfaadt retired the first 12 Cardinals batters he faced. He registered just two strikeouts, but he pitched a perfect outing through four innings.

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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