Herrera Makes Brewers Pay as Cardinals Take Series Opener

The Cardinal Chronicle
Herrera Makes Brewers Pay as Cardinals Take Series Opener
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

The St. Louis Cardinals did not need a barrage of runs or a dramatic rally Monday night at Busch Stadium. Instead, they relied on patience and precision, waiting for the precise moment when opportunity met preparation—a single swing that would change the game’s course.

Iván Herrera supplied it.

With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, and the crowd buzzing with anticipation, Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy made the calculated decision to intentionally walk rookie JJ Wetherholt—a move that loaded the bases and created a high-stakes moment for Iván Herrera. Herrera stepped into the batter’s box, his focus unwavering, and delivered a scorching line drive into the left-center gap. The ball sailed past the outfielders, giving all three runners ample time to score. Herrera’s double electrified the stadium and transformed a narrow one-run Cardinals lead into a decisive advantage, shifting momentum squarely in St. Louis’ favor.

The Cardinals went on to beat the Brewers 6-3 at Busch Stadium, taking the opener of the three-game series and improving to 21-14. It was St. Louis’ seventh win in its last eight games, another steady step forward for a club that continues to answer questions with wins instead of speeches.

Milwaukee fell to 18-16.

The decision point came after Victor Scott II dropped down a successful bunt in the fourth, moving runners to second and third with the Cardinals ahead 1-0. Brewers manager Pat Murphy elected to intentionally walk Wetherholt, the first intentional walk of Wetherholt’s young career, loading the bases for Herrera.
That move looked good on the lineup card.

It did not look nearly as good once Herrera sent three Cardinals across the plate.

Herrera’s bases-loaded double was the biggest swing of the game and continued a strong run of situational hitting for St. Louis. He drove in three runs, while Wetherholt added two hits and two RBIs. Scott II also had a productive night, driving in the Cardinals’ first run with a two-out single in the second inning and later adding a double.

The Cardinals scored single runs in the second, seventh, and eighth innings around the three-run fourth, building enough cushion to survive a late Milwaukee push.

Kyle Leahy delivered a composed and gritty performance on the mound for the Cardinals. Facing a divisional rival under the bright lights, Leahy navigated 5 1/3 innings, scattering six hits and surrendering just one run. He mixed his pitches effectively, keeping Milwaukee hitters off balance with sharp sliders and pinpoint fastballs. Leahy walked two and struck out five, showing poise in pressure situations and earning the victory to improve his record to 4-3.

For five innings, Leahy kept Milwaukee off the board. The Brewers finally broke through in the sixth when George Soriano allowed an inherited runner to score, but St. Louis’ pitching staff bent without allowing the game to get away.

That was no small thing.

Milwaukee struggled to capitalize in crucial moments, finishing just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and leaving 12 runners stranded. Despite constant threats, the Cardinals’ pitching staff demonstrated resilience, executing timely pitches and defensive plays to extinguish potential rallies and protect their lead.

Jackson Chourio, activated from the injured list before the game, went 4-for-4 and tied a career high with four hits. Brice Turang added a two-run homer in the ninth off Gordon Graceffo, a 414-foot shot that cut the Cardinals’ lead from 6-1 to 6-3 and forced Oliver Marmol to call on closer Riley O’Brien.

O’Brien recorded the final two outs to earn his 10th save of the season.
It was not the cleanest finish, but it was another finish. At this point in the season, the Cardinals will take that every night and shake hands.

Masyn Winn also helped keep the offense moving, delivering a two-out RBI single in the seventh. Three of the Cardinals’ six runs were scored by players who reached base via walk, another sign that this lineup is not simply waiting around for the long ball. It is forcing pitchers to work, taking what is given, and making opponents pay for mistakes.

Herrera’s hit also carried some added meaning. Entering the game, he had been 4-for-17 in his career with the bases loaded, including just two hits in 10 at-bats since the start of last season. His double pushed the Cardinals to 11 hits in 23 bases-loaded at-bats this season.

That is winning baseball—built not on spectacle, but on relentless pressure, patient at-bats, and a timely swing when the game hangs in the balance. The Cardinals’ approach may lack the drama of a walk-off home run, but it exemplifies the fundamentals that separate contenders from pretenders.

The night also came with several roster and personnel notes.

Alec Burleson was named National League Player of the Week earlier Monday after hitting .407 with two home runs and 11 RBIs over the previous seven games. It marked the first time a Cardinal had earned the honor since 2023.

Before the game, the Cardinals optioned Thomas Saggese to Triple-A Memphis after he had started just one game since April 22 and gone hitless in his last 20 at-bats. César Prieto was recalled from Memphis to take his spot on the active roster.

The Cardinals also lost left-hander Luis Peralta on waivers to the Chicago Cubs. Peralta had been designated for assignment on Friday to clear a roster spot for Jared Shuster after being claimed by St. Louis from Colorado just a week earlier.
Milwaukee also made moves before the game, activating Chourio and Andrew Vaughn from the injured list.

The Cardinals will try to secure the series Tuesday night when Andre Pallante takes the mound in the second game against the Brewers.

For now, Monday belonged to Herrera, Leahy, and a Cardinals club that keeps stacking wins the old-fashioned way: pitching just enough, taking advantage of the moment, and making the other dugout regret the decision that gave them the opening.

The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports
Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.