Aug 21, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) singles towards the Tampa Bay Rays within the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Subject. Obligatory Credit score: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Photos Alec Burleson drove in two runs throughout St. Louis’ five-run second inning and the Cardinals opened their three-game collection with a 7-4 win over the host Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday evening.
Burleson, who went 2-for-5, put St. Louis forward 5-1 with a single to proper within the huge body. Cardinals starter Sonny Grey (12-6) yielded three runs on six hits whereas fanning six and strolling one in 5 innings.
Willson Contreras was 2-for-5 with a solo homer for the Cardinals, and Lars Nootbaar went 2-for-3 with a double, a run, an RBI and two walks. Nolan Gorman completed 2-for-4 with a double.
Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz (2-for-3) crushed a two-run homer, and Chandler Simpson was 2-for-4 with a double, a stroll and three runs.
In an erratic four-plus-inning begin, Rays right-hander Joe Boyle (1-3) allowed six runs (5 earned) on 9 hits whereas whiffing 5, strolling three and hitting a batter.
After being hammered by the New York Yankees over two video games to begin the week and by no means main, the Rays hung up a run within the first inning after Simpson’s velocity received him to 3rd with one out. Brandon Lowe’s check-swing groundout was then good for an RBI.
Nevertheless, the Cardinals put up a five-spot within the second behind Nathan Church’s RBI fielder’s selection, Nootbaar’s run-scoring double, a Boyle wild pitch that introduced house a run and Burleson’s two-run single.
Within the third, Diaz slashed the deficit in half by lacing a two-run homer to proper, his twenty first, however Ivan Herrera made it 6-3 with an RBI single within the fourth.
The house facet received out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam unscathed within the fifth, and good protection within the Tampa Bay sixth saved it a three-run recreation.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Tristan Grey shot a single to heart subject, however Church tossed out Nick Fortes attempting to advance to 3rd earlier than Everson Pereira touched house plate.
It received worse for the Rays within the seventh as Contreras launched a 423-foot homer, his 18th, to make it 7-3.
Junior Caminero’s groundout within the seventh supplied the ultimate run, and St. Louis reliever JoJo Romero closed it out with two scoreless innings for his fourth save.
–Subject Stage Media
