Houston Astros Triumph Over St. Louis Cardinals with Late-Inning Homers
Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer
In a thrilling showdown on Monday night, Alex Bregman and Yainer Diaz delivered clutch home runs in the eighth inning to power the Houston Astros to a 7-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. The game was a testament to the Astros’ resilience and offensive depth, as they overcame an early deficit to secure the win.
Bregman, who has been on a tear lately, tied the game at 4-4 with a leadoff homer to left off JoJo Romero (2-1). This blast marked Bregman’s fifth home run in his last seven games and his ninth of the season, showcasing his ability to come through in critical moments. “It was great," Bregman said post-game. “It was a full team effort. For everybody to play a big part in that game was huge for our offense."
Astros manager Joe Espada praised Bregman’s timely hitting, remarking, “It’s beautiful. That’s it. It’s what we need." Indeed, Bregman’s homer set the stage for a dramatic finish.
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With two outs in the eighth and Jake Meyers on base, Yainer Diaz stepped up and smashed a homer off the left-field wall, his fourth of the year and first since April 11. This crucial hit gave the Astros a lead they would not relinquish. “The bullpen has been really good, and some of these guys are going to have nights like that, and you can’t blame them for it," said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol. “They’ve competed extremely well, and JoJo has been really good for us, just had a tough night."
Earlier in the game, Yordan Alvarez added to the Astros’ firepower with a two-run homer. The win was particularly significant as it came despite the loss of Kyle Tucker, who exited in the third inning after fouling a ball off his right shin. Tucker later assured fans that he was okay and that X-rays were negative.
For the Cardinals, Nolan Gorman provided the offensive highlights, homering twice, while Alec Burleson also went deep. Despite these efforts, the Cardinals fell short, marking their third loss in four games. Justin Verlander, on the mound for Houston, allowed seven hits and four runs over five innings, while Kyle Gibson struck out eight over 5 2/3 innings for St. Louis, giving up three runs and five hits.
As the series continues on Tuesday night, Houston will send RHP Spencer Arrighetti (3-5, 5.98 ERA) to the mound to face St. Louis’ RHP Andre Pallante (1-1, 3.94 ERA), with both teams looking to gain momentum in this competitive series.
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