Brendan Donovan hit a two-run home run and a double to help the St. Louis Cardinals secure a 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants in a special tribute game honoring the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field on Thursday night.
Rickwood Field, at 114 years old, stands as the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S. and was once home to baseball legend Willie Mays and the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues.
This MLB game at Rickwood Field was dedicated to honoring Mays and numerous other Negro Leagues stars, gaining added emotional significance following Mays’ recent passing. Tributes to Mays were a focal point in Birmingham throughout the week, culminating in a pre-game ceremony on Thursday.
The event featured many tributes, including a ceremonial first pitch thrown by former Black Barons player Bill Greason. Notably, it also marked the first instance of an all-Black umpire crew in the history of AL/NL games.
Donovan, who hails from Alabama, delivered a memorable performance, hitting his seventh home run of the season off Giants starter Keaton Winn in the first inning. He went 3 for 3 with a double in the third inning and an RBI single in the sixth, reflecting on the significance of the night for him personally.
“What a special night,” Donovan remarked. “I mean, this is something that we should celebrate. This right here is pretty amazing. And to do it in Alabama, I’ve got some friends and family in the stands, it’s like playing summer ball again.”
Alec Burleson contributed with two singles, and Masyn Winn reached base twice for the Cardinals (37-37), who halted a two-game losing streak with the win.
Andre Pallante (3-3) pitched 5 1/3 innings for the Cardinals, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out five and walking three. San Francisco’s center fielder Heliot Ramos hit a three-run home run off Pallante in the third inning to tie the game briefly, but Nolan Gorman’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning put the Cardinals back in the lead for good.
