hit a solo homer in the fifth
Contreras Homers as Cardinals Defeat Rays 7-4 in Thursday Night Showdown
In a thrilling matchup between two top teams, the St. Louis Cardinals came out on top with a 7-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Willson Contreras led the way with a homer, while Alec Burleson’s two-run single highlighted a five-run second inning for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals’ starting pitcher, Sonny Gray, had a solid outing, allowing just three runs on six hits in five innings. He also recorded six strikeouts and only walked one batter, earning his 12th win of the season.
The bullpen trio of Kyle Leahy, Matt Svanson, and JoJo Romero (who earned his fourth save) shut down the Rays’ offense for the rest of the game, allowing only one run and five hits.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, the Cardinals’ offense exploded in the second. Nathan Church and Lars Nootbaar both had RBI hits, and another run scored on a wild pitch. Burleson then drove in two more runs with a single to right field, giving the Cardinals a comfortable lead.
The Cardinals continued to add to their lead in the fourth inning with an RBI single from Ivan Herrera. Contreras then sealed the victory with a solo homer in the fifth, extending the Cardinals’ lead to 7-1.
The Rays tried to mount a comeback, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Cardinals’ strong performance.
With this win, the Cardinals improve their record to 72-58 and remain in the hunt for a playoff spot. The Rays, who currently hold the best record in the American League, fall to 80-50 but still maintain a comfortable lead in their division.
St. Louis Cardinals’ Willson Contreras (40) follows through on a single off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joe Boyle during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) St. Louis Cardinals’ Thomas Saggese, right, scores as the throw skips away from Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Fortes on a fielder’s choice by Nathan Church during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joe Boyle delivers to the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) Show Caption1 of 4St. Louis Cardinals’ Willson Contreras (40) follows through on a single off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Joe Boyle during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) ExpandBy Associated PressUPDATED: August 21, 2025 at 11:23 PM EDTBy KRISTIE ACKERT TAMPA — Willson Contreras homered, Alec Burleson’s two-run single highlighted a five-run second inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-4 on Thursday night. Sonny Gray (12-6) allowed three runs on six hits in five innings, with six strikeouts and a walk for the win. Kyle Leahy, Matt Svanson and JoJo Romero (fourth save) combined to limit Tampa Bay to one run and five hits the rest of the way. Trailing 1-0 going into the second, the Cardinals got run-scoring hits from Nathan Church and Lars Nootbaar before another run scored on a wild pitch and Burleson drove in two runs with a single to right field. Ivan Herrera added an RBI single in the fourth and Contreras hit his 18th homer of the season in the seventh off Bryan Baker.Tampa Bay’s Yardy Diaz hit a two-run homer in the third. It was his 17th homer at Steinbrenner Field and 21st of the season overall. Joe Boyle (1-3) took his first home loss this season. He allowed six runs, five earned, on nine hits with five strikeouts and three walks in five innings.Key moment Diaz, the Rays’ veteran DH singled in the bottom of the fifth and injured his right hamstring. He left the game and is day-to-day. Key stat After allowing just one earned run in four previous starts at Steinbrenner Field, Boyle allowed five earned and six total Thursday. He also allowed a career-high nine hits. Up next Rays RHP Adrian Houser (6-4, 2.67 ERA) faces Cardinals RHP Miles Mikolas (6-9, 4.99) on Friday. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB Originally Published: August 21, 2025 at 10:49 PM EDTRevContent Feed Most PopularMost PopularRainbow crosswalk outside Pulse nightclub removed overnightRainbow crosswalk outside Pulse nightclub removed overnightSecretive mini space shuttle launches on Space CoastSecretive mini space shuttle launches on
