Busch Stadium was an exciting place to be today as the St. Louis Cardinals opened up the 2026 season against the Tampa Bay Rays. The parade of St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famers, the proud Budweiser Clydesdales and a stadium packed with plenty of fans wearing red. The game had plenty of highlights and it was a close game until the sixth inning when the Rays jumped out to a big lead, but the Cardinals put together a furious comeback to beat Tampa Bay.
The St. Louis Cardinals struck first when JJ Wetherholt came up for his second at-bat and hammered a 2-strike pitch into Freese’s Landing in center. JJ’s homer traveled 425 feet with an exit velocity of 101.7 mph.
Nathan Church made an incredible catch in the fifth inning bringing a potential home run back from over the left field wall.
It was the sixth inning when both teams would go wild. Matt Svanson relieved Matthew Liberatore who gave up 3 singles before being removed by Manager Oli Marmol who brought in Justin Bruihl. Chandler Simpson pinch-hit for the Rays singled past Masyn Winn to knock in a run. Aranda followed that with a sacrifice fly to center to give Tampa Bay a 3-1 lead. Bruihl was taken out of the game and replaced by Chris Roycroft who gives up 2 dribble singles. By the time the Tampa Bay sixth inning was done, the Rays lead was 7-1.
The Cardinals answered with one of the most exciting innings the team has had in recent years. Masyn Winn doubled followed by a RBI single by Nolan Gorman. Jordan Walker slammed a ground rule double over the center field wall with Gorman stopping at third base. Nathan Church then singled in both Gorman and Walker making it 7-5. Tampa Bay responded by bringing in Cleavinger in relief who immediately surrendered a single to Pedro Pages. Victor Scott II laid down the perfect bunt to load the bases. JJ Wetherholt flied out to deep right field bringing in Nathan Church to reduce the Rays lead to 7-6. Victor Scott II then stole 2nd base. Great situational hitting continued as Ivan Herrera’s sacrifice fly tied the game. It was Alec Burleson who brought Busch Stadium to its collective feet when he destroyed a ball into the right field stands as it traveled 432 feet.
One additional sixth inning note: The Rays catcher Fortes took a ball to the worst possible place, but miraculously managed to stay in the game. Chuck Norris would have been so proud of such courage. Seriously.
The St. Louis Cardinals shined on defense in the 8th inning when JJ Wetherholt made a fine play on a backhanded grab and Alec Burleson robbed the Rays on a line drive he grabbed that was screaming down the first base line. In the bottom of the 8th, Victor Scott II reached base on a broken bat single to center then was granted 2nd base when he drew three throws over to first base, but it was all for naught when Masyn Winn lined out to left field to end the inning.
The Cardinals brought in Ryan Stanek in the 9th inning to shut down the Rays, but he allowed unneeded drama allowing the Rays to load the bases, but St. Louis held on for a thrilling 9-7 victory after former Cardinal Palacios made the final out.
The energy in Busch Stadium today was amazing. Even when the Cardinals fell behind 7-1, the team did not lose its intensity. This was the first time the Cardinals have overcome a 6-run deficit since 2019 when they did it against the Cincinnati Reds. Matthew Liberatore threw a solid, if not spectacular 5 innings giving up 7 hits.
