Sonny Gray pitched seven innings, allowing just one hit, while Alec Burleson contributed two RBIs as the St. Louis Cardinals secured a 5-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants, completing a sweep of their three-game series. Brendan Donovan and Matt Carpenter also drove in runs for the Cardinals, who have won five of their last seven games.
The series began in Birmingham, Alabama, with a tribute to the Negro Leagues. Patrick Bailey hit a home run for San Francisco, but it wasn’t enough as they suffered their fifth consecutive loss.
Gray, now 9-4 for the season, was dominant, retiring the first 20 batters he faced and striking out eight without issuing a walk. He threw 80 pitches, 57 of them for strikes, and lowered his ERA to 2.81.
Reflecting on his performance, Gray noted his comfort and effectiveness early in the game, focusing on filling up the strike zone and attacking hitters from the outset. He impressed both managers with his command and variety of pitches.
After surrendering a home run to Bailey, Gray rebounded strongly by striking out Jorge Soler to end his outing on a positive note.
“It was probably what I was most proud of,” Gray said of his ability to bounce back after giving up the home run.
