Alec Burleson homers to cap 9-run first inning as Cardinals beat Cubs 11-3 in opener of doubleheader
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JULY 13: Patrick Wisdom #16 of the Chicago Cubs rounds third base after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning during game one of a doubleheader at Busch Stadium on July 13, 2024 in St Louis, Misso (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Alec Burleson hit a three-run homer to cap a nine-run first inning, Lance Lynn pitched six solid innings and the St. Louis Cardinals routed the Chicago Cubs 11-3 on Saturday in the opener of a split doubleheader.
St. Louis sent 12 men to the plate in the first, its biggest inning in more than a year, to provide more than enough support for Lynn (5-4). He allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six.
Seiya Suzuki and Patrick Wisdom each homered for the Cubs, who had won five straight. Hayden Wesneski allowed 11 runs - four earned - on 10 hits in four innings.
Masyn Winn, Burleson, and Willson Contreras hit consecutive singles to begin the first. Wesneski then made a pair of throwing errors on weak grounders hit by Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell challenged first base umpire Jonathan Parra's safe call on Donovan's grounder but the call stood.
Wesneski hit Michael Siani with the bases loaded to drive in another run. Winn followed with a two-run single before Burleson hit his 16th home run of the season to give St. Louis a 9-1 lead.
The nine runs scored were the most for the Cardinals in a single inning since scoring 10 runs in the eighth against Counsell's Milwaukee Brewers on May 15, 2023.
Cubs infielder David Bote tossed a scoreless eighth inning in his first career pitching appearance.
ROSTER MOVE
Cardinals: Recalled RHP Kyle Leahy from Triple-A Memphis to serve as the 27th man in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: Placed LHP Luke Little (left shoulder strain) on the 15-day injured list and recalled RHP Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa. RHP Javier Assad (right forearm strain) was activated off the injured list and is serving as the 27th man in the second game of the doubleheader.
Cardinals: Siani departed the game with a left elbow contusion at the end of the third inning with a left elbow contusion. ... RHP Riley O'Brien (right forearm flexor strain) is scheduled to throw a 20-25 pitch live batting practice session with Double-A Springfield.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals will send RHP Kyle Gibson (7-3, 3.96 ERA) to the mound to face Assad (4-3, 3.04 ERA) in Saturday's nightcap.