ST. LOUIS — Alec Burleson hit a three-run home run to cap a nine-run first inning, Lance Lynn pitched six solid innings and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Chicago Cubs 11-3 on Saturday in the opener of a split doubleheader.
Louis sent 12 men to base in the first, its biggest inning in more than a year, to provide more than enough support for Lynn (5-4). He allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six.
Seiya Suzuki and Patrick Wisdom were honored by the Cubs, who have won five straight. Hayden Wesneski allowed 11 runs – four earned – on 10 hits in four innings.
Masyn Winn, Burleson and Willson Contreras hit consecutive singles to start the first. Wesneski then committed two throwing errors on weak grounders hit by Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan. Cubs manager Craig Counsell challenged first base umpire Jonathan Parra’s safe call on Donovan’s grounder, but the call stood.
Wesneski hit Michael Siani with the bases loaded to drive in another run. Winn followed with a two-run single before Burleson hit his 16th home run of the season, giving St. Louis a 9-1 lead.
The nine runs scored were the most for the Cardinals in a single inning since they scored 10 runs in the eighth against Counsell’s Milwaukee Brewers on May 15, 2023.
Cubs infielder David Bote pitched a scoreless eighth inning in his first career pitching appearance.
ROSTER MOVEMENT
Cardinals: RHP Kyle Leahy was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to serve as the 27th baseman in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: Placed LHP Luke Little (left shoulder strain) on the 15-day injured list and recalled RHP Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa. RHP Javier Assad (right forearm strain) has been activated from the injured list and is the 27th player in the second game of the doubleheader.
Cardinals: Siani left the game with a left elbow contusion in the bottom of the third inning with a left elbow contusion. … RHP Riley O’Brien (right forearm flexor strain) is scheduled to throw a 20-25 pitch live batting practice session with Double-A Springfield.
NEXT
The Cardinals will send RHP Kyle Gibson (7-3, 3.96 ERA) to the mound to face Assad (4-3, 3.04 ERA) on Saturday night.
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