By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Iván Herrera's first career multihomer game helped power the St. Louis Cardinals to a 12-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Busch Stadium, avoiding a series sweep.
After Mike Trout opened the scoring for Los Angeles in the first inning with a solo home run, the Angels held a 1-0 lead until the fourth inning, when Herrera hit his first home run of the game, a solo shot 395 feet to left field to knot the game at one a piece.
St. Louis took their first lead of the game in the sixth inning on Herrera's second blast of the game again to left field, this one traveling even farther going 414 feet, and driving in Nolan Arenado for the Cardinals to take a 3-1 lead.
The Angels took the lead back in the seventh on one hit, a grand slam by Logan O'Hoppe that brought in Jorge Soler, Yoán Moncada, and Nolan Schanuel. But St. Louis tied the game back up in the bottom half, on an RBI double from Willson Contreras scoring Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn.
St. Louis's offense exploded for the final seven runs of the game in the eighth inning. The first two coming on bases loaded walks to Contreras and Alec Burleson. An Arenado single drove in Winn and Contreras, before Herrera's third home run brought in the final runs, scoring Burleson and Arenado. The three homer game made Herrera the first Cardinals catcher in history to hit three home runs in a single game.
JoJo Romero earned the win in relief for St. Louis, pitching 1.1 innings and striking out one. Sonny Gray, the starting pitcher, pitched six innings in a no decision giving up five hits and five runs, all earned, while striking out nine.
Herrera led the way hitting for the Cardinals going 3-4 with three home runs, driving in six runs. Nootbaar (2-5), Arenado (2-3, 2 RBI), and Winn (2-4) also helped.
The Cardinals are now 4-2 on the young season. They hit the road for the first time next, traveling to Boston to meet the Red Sox. Erick Fedde will start for St. Louis against Walker Buehler for the Red Sox.
Coverage will begin on KY 102 (102.5 FM) at 1pm with first pitch at 1:10 on Friday.
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