Willson Contreras blasted two three-run homers and the St. Louis Cardinals hit seven home runs to outslug the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 16–8 Thursday, May 18.
Nolan Gorman hit a two-run homer and a solo shot for the Cardinals, who won for the ninth time in 11 games. Nolan Arenado hit a two-run home run and Juan Yepez and Paul DeJong hit solo homers.
Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (1-0) earned his 196th career victory while allowing five runs (two earned) in 5 2/3 innings.
Freddie Freeman hit a grand slam—his 300th career homer—for the Dodgers, who lost for just the second time in nine games.
Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias (5–4) allowed six runs on six hits, including four homers, in three innings. All six runs were scored in the third.
Los Angeles took a 2–0 first-inning lead on a leadoff double by Mookie Betts, walks to Will Smith and Max Muncy, and J.D. Martinez’s two-run double.
The Cardinals rallied for a 6-2 lead in the third inning. Oscar Mercado hit a single, Paul Goldschmidt walked and Contreras launched his first three-run homer.
Yepez homered while pinch hitting for Tommy Edman (who suffered lower abdominal soreness after a second-inning outfield collision with Lars Nootbaar). Gorman and DeJong followed to make it back-to-back-to-back homers.
Mercado hit a leadoff double in the fourth inning and took third on a flyout. Goldschmidt walked and stole second base while Mercado stole home.
Arenado pushed the Cardinals’ lead to 9–2 with his two-run homer later in the inning.
The Dodgers cut the deficit to 9–7 in the sixth inning. Miguel Vargas hit a one-out single and David Peralta reached on Goldschmidt’s error at first base.
Miguel Rojas hit an RBI single to chase Wainwright. Reliever Genesis Cabrera walked Trayce Thompson to the stage for Freeman’s grand slam.
Max Muncy homered in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to 9–8.
Brendan Donovan’s walk and singles by Mercado and Nootbaar produced one run in the eighth inning. Goldschmidt then drew an intentional walk, Mercado scored on Yency Almonte’s wild pitch and Contreras blasted his second three-run homer.
Gorman capped the scoring his two-run homer.
