Andrew Knizner hit a three-run homer and Nolan Arenado hit a two-run blast as the St. Louis Cardinals edged the visiting Kansas City Royals 6-5 Tuesday.
Albert Pujols went 3-for-4 with a homer, the 680th of his career, and scored two runs as the Cardinals won for the third time in four games.
Cardinals starting pitcher Dakota Hudson lasted just four innings while allowing three runs on five hits. Jordan Hicks (1-0), whose scheduled start Monday was rained out, followed with two scoreless innings to earn the victory.
Giovanny Gallegos closed out the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
Salvador Perez hit two solo homers for the Royals and Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run shot.
Royals starting pitcher Daniel Lynch (0-1) struck out seven batters in five innings, but he allowed six runs on nine hits, including three home runs, and a walk. Relievers Joel Payamps, Amir Garrett and Dylan Coleman each threw a scoreless inning to keep Kansas City within range.
The Cardinals staged a two-out rally in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. Tyler O’Neill lined a single and Arenado followed by drilling his homer into the left field seats.
Arenado is 7-for-16 this season with three doubles, three homers, five runs scored and nine RBIs.
Pujols followed with his homer — his first since he rejoined the team — and earned a standing ovation at Busch Stadium.
Perez led off the second inning with his first homer. Adalberto Mondesi later reached on an infield single, then Taylor’s two-run shot tied the game 3-3.
The Cardinals took a 6-3 lead in the fourth inning. Singles by Pujols and Tommy Edman set the stage for Knizner’s three-run blast.
Cam Gallagher’s RBI double off reliever Nick Wittgren in the seventh inning cut the lead to 6-4. Then Perez’s second homer, off reliever Genesis Cabrera, trimmed the lead to 6-5 in the eighth.
–Field Level Media