Jeimer Candelario drove in three runs as the visiting Detroit Tigers rallied for a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals to earn a split of their doubleheader Thursday.

The Cardinals (19-18) won the first game 12-2.

The Tigers (20-23) erased a 3-1 deficit in the second game with a five-run seventh inning, Candelario's two-run single putting them ahead for good.

Tigers reliever Jose Cisnero (2-2) earned the victory with 1 1/3 innings of one-hit relief and Bryan Garcia closed out the seventh to earn his second save.

Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing three runs in the seventh without retiring a batter.

Cardinals starting pitcher Austin Gomber threw three scoreless innings before needing help from reliever Alex Reyes in the fourth inning.

Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann made his first start of the season after recovering from a forearm strain suffered during the summer camp. He allowed just one unearned run in three innings giving up four hits, walking one and striking out two.

The Cardinals opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning. Paul DeJong hit a leadoff single, moved to third on third baseman Sergio Alcantara's error and scored on Matt Carpenter's single into center field.

Carpenter struck again in the fourth inning with a RBI double to put the Cardinals up 2-0.

In the fifth inning, Tommy Edman blasted a solo homer to the third deck in left field to expand the Cardinals' lead to 3-0.

Candelario ripped a solo homer in the sixth off reliever Genesis Cabrera to cut the lead to 3-1.

In the seventh, Alcantara walked, Victor Reyes singled and Jonathan Schoop hit a RBI single off Gallegos -- who then left the game with a groin injury.

Ryan Helsley relieved Gallegos and walked Miguel Cabrera to load the bases. Candelario then hit his single to put the Tigers ahead 4-3 and Jorge Bonifacio smashed a two-run homer two batters later for the final margin.

--Field Level Media