Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol speaks with the media on Saturday, July 13, 2024, after winning the first game of a doubleheader vs. the Cubs at Busch Stadium. (Video by Ethan Erickson, Post-Dispatch)
Just when it looked as if the Cardinals might limp into the All-Star break after they dropped a doubleheader to their I-70 rivals from Kansas City followed by a series-opening loss to their longtime rivals the Chicago Cubs, the Cardinals offense exploded for its most productive game of the season.
Cardinals outfielder/first baseman Alec Burleson and rookie shortstop Masyn Winn combined for five hits, five runs batted in and four runs scored, they had two hits apiece in the nine-run first inning that propelled the Cardinals to an 11-3 win over the Cubs in front of an announced crowd of 39,129 at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals (49-45) snapped a three-game losing slide and evened their three-day, four-game series at one game apiece heading into the second game of Saturday’s split doubleheader.
Cubs starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski allowed the nine-run first inning as part of an outing that included 10 hits and 11 runs allowed (four earned) in four innings. Cubs infielder David Bote finished the game on the mound for the Cubs (46-50).
The Cardinals trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the first inning, but they put the first six batters of the inning on base with the help of three hits and several poor defensive plays by the Cubs, who committed two errors and failed to record an out on two fielder’s choice plays.
Willson Contreras (2 for 4), Brendan Donovan (1 for 4), Michael Siani (0 for 1), Winn (2 for 5) and Burleson (3 for 4) drove in runs in the first inning.
Winn drove in two and scored two in that inning alone, including a two-out, two-strike, two-run single. Winn was also on base for Burleson’s 16th home run of the season, a three-run blast to the opposite field that pushed Cardinals scoring output to nine runs in the frame.
Donovan matched his season-season career high for RBIs (45) in the first inning.
Burleson singled and homered in the first inning, and then he added a double in his third at-bat of the day. He became the first Cardinals player with three hits in the first three innings of a game since Tommy Edman had hits in each of the first three innings in the first game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 14, 2022.
Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn (5-4) registered his fifth quality start of the season. He allowed two runs on five hits and two walks in six innings. He also struck out six batters, and he is now just two strikeouts shy of 2,000 career strikeouts.
Cubs use long ball to grab a lead
The Cubs got in the scoring column early against Lynn. After third baseman Nolan Arenado turned a double play and wiped away a leadoff walk, Lynn gave up a solo home run to Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki with two outs in the first inning.
Suzuki belted a 1-0 fastball in the middle of the plate an estimated 433 feet to center field for his 13th home run of the season.
Lynn gave up three home runs in his previous start against the Washington Nationals. He came into the day having allowed 13 home runs in 90 1/3 innings.
Wesneski had held his own against Cardinals
Wesneski (3-6) made his seventh start of the season in Saturday’s first game. He has also made17 relief appearances this season.
Wesneski made one previous start against the Cardinals in his career during the 2023 season. He started at Busch Stadium on July 28, and he allowed one run on two hits and one walk in two innings.
Wesneski made one appearance against the Cardinals in relief earlier this season. He allowed one run on one hit, a home run, in on inning at Wrigley Field on June 14.
In three career appearances against the Cardinals entering the day, he’d allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.
In his three most recent starts entering Saturday, Wesneski posted a 4.70 ERA with an opponent’s batting average of .146 and 16 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings. He also allowed four home runs and opponents slugged .400 against him during that span.
Siani leaves game with bruised elbow
Cardinals center fielder Michael Siani, who entered the day with the second-highest oats above average of any defender in the majors, left the game after the third inning with the club described as an elbow contusion.
Siani got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded during the nine-run first inning. He remained in the game to run the bases and played the field in the second and third innings. He grounded out in his second at-bat of the day, in the bottom of the third, and Dylan Carlson took over in the field to start the fourth inning.
Nolan Arenado's two-run single in the eighth inning of the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at Busch Stadium lifted the Cardinals to a 5…
ºüÀêÊÓƵ Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson (41) celebrates with Michael Siani (63) and Masyn Winn (0) after he hit a 3-run home run, in which Siana and Winn also scored, during the Chicago Cubs vs ºüÀêÊÓƵ Cardinals game at Busch Stadium on Saturday, July 13, 2024. The Cardinals scored 9 runs in the first inning. Photo by Allie Schallert, aschallert@post-dispatch.com