Cardinals Secure 9-7 Win Over Padres with Three Home Runs in St. Louis

The St. Louis Cardinals secured a 9-7 victory over the San Diego Padres, highlighted by key offensive performances including three-run homers from Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras and a solo home run from Iván Herrera. Herrera contributed significantly with three hits in four at-bats, including a home run, two RBIs, and two runs scored, maintaining a strong 2025 season batting average of .315. Despite Cardinals starter Sonny Gray allowing seven runs, the bullpen shut down the Padres in the later innings, preserving the win and marking Oliver Marmol's 300th managerial victory. The Padres, who started strong with early runs, struggled with pitching as Yu Darvish gave up eight runs in just over three innings, and despite strong hitting from Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., they were unable to overcome the Cardinals’ offensive surge. This victory continues the Cardinals' historically dominant home record against the Padres, boasting a .6642 winning percentage at Busch Stadium, the second-best in the National League. The game was a dramatic display of fluctuating momentum, with the Cardinals overcoming early deficits to outslug the Padres on a hot July night in St. Louis.