CLEVELAND — The St. Louis Cardinals showcased their dominance with a convincing 7-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. Nolan Gorman was the star early on, launching a three-run homer in the first inning off Cleveland’s starter Logan Allen, boosting the Cardinals right from the start. As the game progressed, Victor Scott II further upped the ante with a two-run homer off reliever Hunter Gaddis in the seventh inning, setting the Cardinals ahead 5-0. Not stopping there, Pedro Pagés and Garrett Hampson contributed additional RBIs in the eighth inning, reinforcing their team’s commanding lead.
This win marks a significant achievement for the Cardinals, as it is their sixth consecutive road victory and their initial series sweep against Cleveland under the leadership of fourth-year manager Oliver Marmol. Over the course of this three-game face-off, the Cardinals outscored the Guardians by a considerable margin of 21-6.
St. Louis pitcher Matthew Liberatore demonstrated his skill on the mound, securing his career-best third consecutive win. Liberatore pitched effectively for six innings, facing the Guardians’ lineup with poise, striking out five while surrendering just three hits and five walks. He was followed by relief pitchers JoJo Romero, Riley O’Brien, and John King, who combined to maintain the pressure on Cleveland by limiting them to only three hits, albeit with eight walks allowed.
On the opposing side, Logan Allen pitched for six innings, conceding three runs in what turned out to be another tough outing for the Guardians, who have now slipped two games below a .500 winning percentage for the first time since early April. The game added to a disappointing homestand for Cleveland, as they managed to win just one of their six games.
The Guardians faced another setback when shortstop Gabriel Arias suffered a left ankle sprain in the third inning. He was removed from the game on a cart after his spikes got caught on the grass while attempting to field a grounder. Subsequent X-rays were negative, but further assessment, including an MRI scheduled for Monday, will determine the extent of his injury.
The turning point of the game came early when, with two outs in the first inning and Masyn Winn accompanied by Willson Contreras on base, Gorman connected with Allen’s pitcher and sent it flying 428 feet into the stands in right-center field.
In individual achievements, Cardinals’ third baseman Nolan Arenado reached personal milestones with his 1,900th career hit and his 400th double during the game. He sustained a slight injury to his right index finger upon reaching first base but managed to stay on the field until the eighth inning.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals will travel to Pittsburgh where RHP Erick Fedde (3-7, 4.11 ERA) is set to start the series opener of their three-game clash on Monday. Meanwhile, the Guardians have a day off before RHP Gavin Williams (5-3, 3.68 ERA) takes the mound to start their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.