In St. Louis on a crisp Monday evening, the Cardinals showcased their power with a commanding 8-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The spotlight was on Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan, who each blasted two-run homers during a pivotal fifth inning, propelling the Cardinals forward.
Matthew Liberatore delivered a standout performance on the mound, pitching seven robust innings, allowing just two runs on six hits and striking out five. This victory marks an impressive streak for the Cardinals, who have secured wins in six of their last seven games.
Adding their names to the evening’s home-run tally were Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman, as the Cardinals matched their season-high with four home runs in a single game, an achievement last seen on April 30th against Cincinnati. Ben Brown, starting for the Cubs, faced challenges, conceding eight runs on nine hits over five innings, and extending the Cubs’ struggles with losses in four of their last five outings.
The relief pitching saw Michael Fulmer stepping in for the Cubs, hurling two innings without allowing a run following his call-up from Triple-A Iowa earlier in the day. Brendan Donovan delivered his fifth homer of the season in the fifth inning’s bottom half, with Alec Burleson swiftly following suit with his ninth, extending the Cardinals’ lead to 6-1.
A moment of vigor in the fifth inning came from Pete Crow-Armstrong, who doubled to lead off, later scoring on Carson Kelly’s single, trimming the Cardinals’ lead to 2-1. Nonetheless, Nootbaar’s tenth homer of the season, succeeding Willson Contreras’ two-out double, helped St. Louis reinforce their lead at 2-0 in the fourth.
A crucial moment unfolded when Liberatore walked Matt Shaw, loading the bases with one out in the fifth inning. However, Ian Happ’s grounder to third baseman Nolan Arenado initiated a smooth double play, preserving the Cardinals’ momentum.
In terms of standout statistics, Willson Contreras shone brightly with his three hits against the Cubs, his former team. Since joining St. Louis this year as a free agent, he has shown remarkable performance with 22 hits in 63 at-bats, boasting a .349 average, six doubles, and a homer against Chicago.
Looking ahead, the series continues with a promising pitching matchup. The Cubs’ Jameson Taillon (7-4, 3.84 ERA) is set to face off against the Cardinals’ Michael McGreevy (1-1, 2.70 ERA), who is being called up from Triple-A Memphis. Both teams will be eager to build on tonight’s outcome as the series progresses.