Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras Lead Cardinals to Victory with Three-Run Homers
In a thrilling game on Thursday night, the St. Louis Cardinals came out on top with a 9-7 win over the San Diego Padres. The Cardinals’ victory was largely thanks to the impressive performances of Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras, who both hit three-run homers in the second inning.
Contreras, who finished the game with four RBIs, was a force to be reckoned with at the plate. His powerful swing and precise timing resulted in a three-run homer that gave the Cardinals an early lead. Donovan, on the other hand, had a stellar night with three hits, including his own three-run homer in the second inning.
But it wasn’t just Donovan and Contreras who shined in this game. Iván Herrera also had a standout performance, contributing three hits and two RBIs, including a solo homer in the sixth inning. The Cardinals’ offense was firing on all cylinders, making it difficult for the Padres to keep up.
The Padres put up a strong fight, with Manny Machado hitting a two-run homer in the fourth inning and Jake Cronenworth adding a solo homer in the sixth. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the Cardinals’ early lead and consistent hitting throughout the game.
The Cardinals will look to continue their winning streak in the remaining three games of the series against the Padres. With players like Donovan, Contreras, and Herrera leading the charge, the Cardinals are sure to put up a tough fight and keep fans on the edge of their seats. Don’t miss out on the action!
: Cardinals beat Padres 9-7 in series opener
Skip to Content: Cardinals Beat Padres 9-7 in Series Opener
By: The Associated Press
Posted: 10:07 PM CDT Thursday, Jul. 24, 2025
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ST. LOUIS (AP) — In a thrilling opener of a four-game series, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the San Diego Padres 9-7 on Thursday night. Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras each hit three-run homers in the second inning, leading the Cardinals to victory.
Contreras had a standout performance with four RBIs, while Donovan finished with three hits. Iván Herrera also had a strong showing with three hits and two RBIs, including a solo homer in the sixth.
Sonny Gray (10-4) pitched five innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits with five strikeouts. Ryan Helsley closed out the game with a scoreless ninth, earning his 20th save of the season.
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado were the top performers for the Padres, each with three hits. Tatis kicked off the third inning with a home run, and Machado added a two-run shot to bring the score to 7-5.
The Cardinals got off to a strong start in the first inning, with Contreras driving in Donovan with a two-out double off San Diego starter Yu Darvish (0-3).
In the fourth, Victor Scott II drew a leadoff walk, stole second base, and scored on Iván Herrera’s single, extending the Cardinals’ lead to 8-5.
The Padres fought back in the fifth with an RBI groundout from Gavin Sheets and a run scored by Xander Bogaerts on a throwing error, bringing the score to 8-7.
The key moment of the game came in the second inning when Jordan Walker singled and moved to second on a two-out walk by Scott. Donovan then cleared the bases with a hit, followed by singles from Herrera and Alec Burleson, and a homer from Contreras, making it 7-2.
The Cardinals have a strong record of 173-87 at home against the Padres, with a .665 win percentage. This is the third-best record by a home team against any visitor in MLB history, with a minimum of 100 games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Next up, the Padres’ Nick Pivetta (10-2, 2.81 ERA) was scheduled to start Friday against Miles Mikolas (5-7, 5.20).
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