Cardinals Beat Astros 7-5 on Three Home Runs

HOUSTON — The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Houston Astros 7-5 on Saturday night, powered by three home runs in an interleague matchup at Minute Maid Park. Masyn Winn, José Fermín and Alec Burleson provided the long balls as the Cardinals secured their fourth consecutive victory and clinched the three-game series.

The game began with the Cardinals jumping ahead early against Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. In the top of the first inning, McCullers hit the first two batters, J.J. Wetherholt and Iván Herrera, before walking Jordan Walker with one out to load the bases. Nolan Gorman then delivered a two-run single to right field, scoring Wetherholt and Herrera for a 2-0 lead. Houston responded quickly in the bottom of the frame when Yordan Álvarez launched a solo home run to center field with one out, his major league-leading ninth of the season, narrowing the gap to 2-1.

St. Louis extended its advantage in the third. Gorman singled with one out, and Winn followed with a two-run homer to left field, a 373-foot drive that made the score 4-1. Cardinals starter André Pallante kept the Astros in check through five innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out a...