ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alec Burleson and Brendan Donovan each hit two-run homers in the fifth inning, Matthew Liberatore pitched seven strong innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-2 on Monday night.
Lars Nootbaar and Nolan Gorman also homered as the Cardinals hit a season-best four home runs for the first time since April 30 at Cincinnati.
Liberatore (5-6) allowed two runs on six hits and struck out five for the Cardinals, who have won six of their last seven games.
Ben Brown (4-6) allowed eight runs on nine hits in five innings for the Cubs, who have lost four of their last five.
Michael Fulmer tossed two scoreless innings in relief of Brown after having his contract purchased from Triple-A Iowa prior to the game.
Donovan lined his fifth homer of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning, and Burleson followed with his ninth two batters later to give St. Louis a 6-1 lead.
Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled to lead off the fifth inning and scored on a single from Carson Kelly to cut the St. Louis lead to 2-1.
Nootbaar hit his 10th home run of the season after Willson Contreras’ two-out double to give St. Louis a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Key moment
Liberatore walked Matt Shaw with one out to load the bases for Ian Happ in the fifth inning. Happ grounded the first pitch he saw to Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado to start an inning-ending double play.
Key stat
Contreras had three hits against his former team, and is now 22 for 63 (.349) with six doubles and a homer against the Cubs since signing with St. Louis as a free agent ahead of the 2023 season.
Up next
Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (7-4, 3.84 ERA) is scheduled to face Cardinals RHP Michael McGreevy (1-1, 2.70) who will be recalled from Triple-A Memphis.