Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan both hit two-run home runs, while Kyle Gibson had an impressive debut for the St. Louis Cardinals, leading them to a 6-2 victory on Monday night against the San Diego Padres, who their former manager, Mike Shildt, managed.
Shildt managed the Cardinals from August 2018 until 2021, when he was unexpectedly fired despite guiding them to three consecutive playoff appearances and winning the 2019 NL Manager of the Year award. After working in the Padres’ organization for the past two seasons, he was promoted to manager in October following Bob Melvin’s departure from the San Francisco Giants.
Gibson, a 36-year-old right-handed pitcher on his fifth MLB team, gave up home runs to rookie Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. but delivered a dominant performance. He allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings, striking out four and walking two.
This start held special significance for Gibson, who lived in the St. Louis area during the off season and had always dreamed of pitching for his hometown team.
His strong performance came at a crucial time for the Cardinals, providing much-needed relief for their bullpen. Manager Oliver Marmol praised Gibson’s outing, highlighting his control and effectiveness throughout the game.
Gibson, who signed as a free agent in November, expressed satisfaction with his performance and credited his offseason preparation for his success. He also appreciated the support of his teammates and the solid defensive play behind him.
The Cardinals quickly took a 3-0 lead against their former manager, Mike Shildt, and pitcher Matt Waldron, with Donovan leading off with a single and scoring on Nolan Arenado’s RBI double. Contreras then added to the lead with his home run. Paul Goldschmidt extended the lead to 4-0 with an RBI single in the second inning.
Merrill hit his first MLB home run in the third inning, followed by Donovan making a spectacular diving catch in the outfield in the fifth inning. Donovan hit his first home run in the sixth inning, increasing the Cardinals’ lead to 6-1.
Tatis hit a home run for the Padres in the sixth inning, his third in four games. Waldron struggled, allowing four runs on nine hits in four innings, despite striking out seven batters and walking one.
