Nolan Gorman slugs Cardinals past Blue Jays

[April 03, 2023]  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.  

Apr 2, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

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 clubbed a homer over the left field wall two pitches later. 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 a 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 leadoff 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 an 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 an 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

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