The St Louis Cardinals added to the rich history of Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama on Thursday night, winning the first National League game played in the state with a 6-5 win over San Francisco.

Nolan Gorman brought in two runs with sacrifice flies in the first and third innings, while Enterprise native Brendan Donovan made the Cardinals’ lead 3-0 in the first with a two-run home run. The Giants would tie the game in the third with Heliot Ramos belting a three-run shot off starter Andre Pallante. The Cardinals retook the lead in the third, taking advantage of a wild pitch to bring home Alec Burleson, and add an insurance run in the fifth with a Donovan single. The Giants threatened in the sixth with a single and sacrifice fly, but were denied by the Cardinals bullpen including Ryan Helsley, who notched his league-leading 25th save.

Tributes to the Negro Leagues took place throughout the game, including reflections of Birmingham native and Giants Hall-of-Famer Willie Mays, who died Tuesday.  Longtime Birmingham preacher and one-time Cardinals pitcher Bill Greason threw the ceremonial first pitch.

The Cardinals and Giants will have Friday off before completing their series at Busch Stadium on Saturday and Sunday. The Redbirds are now 37-37, 6.5 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central.