Sunday’s Game Report: Cardinals 12, Royals 10
By Rob Rains
The Cardinals scored five runs in the first inning, had the most runs and hits they have had in a game this season – including four home runs – and it almost wasn’t enough to beat the Royals on Sunday in Kansas City.
The Cardinals had a 12-8 lead going into the ninth inning but Riley O’Brien gave up two runs and the Royals had the potential tying run on second base with one out before O’Brien was able to shut down the rally and secure the victory.
JJ Wetherholt hit two of the homers, including his second leadoff homer, and Masyn Winn and Ivan Herrera each hit a three-run shot to lead the Cardinals’ 16-hit attack.
The Cardinals also scored four runs in the second inning and led 9-2 before the Royals cut the lead to 9-7 by the fourth inning.
Dustin May, who pitched a one-hit shutout in his last start, lasted only two innings, giving up the Royals’ first six runs.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Cardinals and kept the Royals from sweeping the three-game series.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: After Wetherholt’s leadoff homer, Herrera was hit by a pitch and Burleson walked before Lars Nootbaar doubled in a run and Winn capped the five-run inning with his home run … The five runs made it the biggest first inning of the season for the Cardinals and was their most in the first inning against the Royals since a five-run first in 2022 … Wetherholt added a two-run homer, his 12th of the year, in the second before Burleson had an RBI triple and Winn added his fourth RBI of the game with a single … Herrera’s homer in the fifth provided the runs the Cardinals needed to get the win … Wetherholt also had a single and was hit by a pitch, reaching base four times … Herrera and Burleson also had three-hit days.
On the mound: May allowed two runs in the first and four in the second, giving up two home runs. May had not allowed a run in 15 combined innings in his last two starts and had allowed one home run over his previous six starts, covering 39 innings … The Cardinals used every pitcher in their bullpen except Justin Bruihl, with Max Rajcic and JoJo Romero allowing the two Kansas City runs before O’Brien relieved in the ninth … Ryne Stanek was saved from giving up a home run by a leaping catch by Jordan Walker in the seventh.
Key stat: The Cardinals had lost their previous 66 games when they allowed 10 or more runs. Their last win was a 12-11 victory over the Reds on July 19, 2019. It was only their second time winning a game allowing 10 or more runs in the last 86 times it had happened since 2017.
Worth noting: Th Cardinals had not homered in their previous five games before Sunday … Wetherholt became the Cardinals’ first leadoff hitter to homer in the first two innings of a game since Matt Carpenter did it against the Cubs in Chicago in 2018 … Herrera has now been hit a league-leading 21 times … Joshua Baez hit his 25th home run as Memphis beat Nashville 10-8 and clinched the International League first-half championship, securing a spot in the postseason playoffs.
Up next: The Cardinals will be back at Busch Stadium on Monday for the first of four games against the Diamondbacks and the start of a seven-game homestand. Andre Pallante will get the start as Nolan Arenado returns for the first time since he was traded to Arizona.
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