Alec Burleson ended a lengthy home run drought by hitting three two-run homers for the St. Louis Cardinals, who rallied for a 13-7 victory over the host New York Yankees after squandering a six-run lead on Monday night.
Burleson capped a seven-run eighth inning by hitting a 2-2 slider from Angel Chivilli (1-1) into the second deck in right for a 418-foot drive. He also hit a two-run homer to right field off New York starter Cam Schlittler with one out in the first and a two-run shot off reliever Tim Hill with two outs in the fourth to give the Cardinals a 6-0 lead.
Burleson became the first Cardinal with three homers in a game since catcher Ivan Herrera on April 2, 2025, against the Angels. He became the first St. Louis first baseman to achieve the feat since Paul Goldschmidt on May 7, 2023.
Burleson also became the first visiting player with a three-homer game at Yankee Stadium since Jordan Diaz for the A’s on May 9, 2023.
The homers were Burleson’s first since July 8 and helped the Cardinals win consecutive games for the first time since July 10-11.
Rookies Nathan Church and Jimmie Crooks also homered in the eighth off Chivilli as the Cardinals matched their season high with five homers. Church hit a three-run shot to right field that gave the Cardinals a 9-7 lead, and Crooks also homered to right two batters later.
Before the Cardinals stormed back with their power display, Luis Garcia Jr., in his Yankees debut after a trade from the Washington Nationals, hit a two-run homer off George Soriano to give New York a 7-6 lead with two outs in the seventh. Ryan McMahon and Jose Caballero hit consecutive solo homers off Ryne Stanek earlier in the inning before Garcia homered to the New York bullpen in right-center.
Austin Wells hit a two-run homer and Trent Grisham homered, both in the fifth, after Burleson hit his first two homers.
In between Burleson’s first two homers, St. Louis’ Jose Fermin hit an RBI double with no outs in the second and Church hit an RBI single with two outs in the third off Schlittler.
Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. He fanned five and walked one. Gordon Graceffo (7-1) tossed two shutout innings and earned the win thanks to the big frame by the Cardinals.
Schlittler allowed four runs on four hits in three innings. The right-hander struck out six but tied a career worst with five walks.
–Field Level Media
