Nolan Gorman hit a pair of two-run homers to lift the St. Louis Cardinals to a 9-4 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon
Alec Burleson went 3-for-4 with a homer, two doubles, two runs and two RBIs for the Cardinals, who won two of three games in the season-opening series. Brendan Donovan drove in two runs with a homer and a sacrifice fly
Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery (1-0) allowed three runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out three batters and walked one
Blue Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (0-1) lasted just 3 1/3 innings while allowing nine runs on 10 hits, including four homers
Whit Merrifield drove in two runs for Toronto and Matt Chapman went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs.
The Cardinals surged ahead 4-0 in the first inning
After Donovan hit Bassitt's first pitch of the game into the bullpen beyond the right-field wall, Burleson hit the next pitch over the left-field wall. Gorman followed Willson Contreras' two-out single with another homer.
Toronto cut its deficit to 4-3 in the second inning.
Daulton Varsho hit a single and stole second base. Alejandro Kirk walked, Chapman crushed an RBI double, Merrifield lifted a sacrifice fly and Danny Jansen poked an RBI single.
Burleson led off the third inning with a sun-aided double into left-center field. He took third on flyout and scored on Nolan Arenado's single through a pulled-in infield.
Gorman followed with another two-run homer to push the Cardinals' lead to 7-3
Dylan Carlson hit a lead-off single in the fourth inning and took third on Tommy Edman's single. After Edman stole second base, Donovan's sacrifice fly chased Bassitt.
Burleson greeted reliever Zach Pop with a RBI double to make it 9-3.
The Blue Jays cut their deficit to 9-4 in the sixth inning when Merrifield followed Chapman's double with a RBI single off reliever Chris Stratton
Packy Naughton blanked Toronto for the final 2 1/3 innings to close out the victory.
--Field Level Media