First pitch he saw, he hit it out—a three-run shot that tied the game
In the long rhythm of a baseball season, Friday night at Busch Stadium offered a reminder that redemption can arrive on a single swing. Nelson Velázquez, recalled from the minors just hours before first pitch, stepped into his first major league at-bat in nearly a year and drove a three-run homer that turned the tide for St. Louis, lifting the Cardinals to a 6-5 victory over the Cubs and ending a four-game skid. It was the kind of moment the game quietly promises to those who keep showing up — that the next chance, however long in coming, might be the one that matters.
- Chicago seized control early, with Ian Happ's two-out homer capping a 3-0 lead and extending his own personal hot streak to three consecutive games with a home run.
- St. Louis was staring down a fifth straight loss when a player who hadn't seen major league action since June 2024 stepped in and changed everything with one first-pitch swing.
- The Cardinals refused to let the moment settle, answering with four home runs total — from Velázquez, Saggese, Herrera, and a clutch late insurance run — to keep Chicago from regaining its footing.
- The Cubs clawed back to within one in the ninth, but St. Louis held firm as Riley O'Brien locked down his 14th save of the season, sealing a hard-fought divisional win.
- The series continues Saturday with contrasting pitching matchups — Leahy's experience against Brown's sharp 2.01 ERA — setting up another tense chapter between these NL Central rivals.
Nelson Velázquez had not played in a major league game since June 2024. Recalled from Triple-A Memphis just hours before first pitch at Busch Stadium, he stepped into the batter's box in the third inning with two runners on and the Cardinals trailing 3-0. On the first pitch he saw, he sent a three-run homer over the left field fence. The game was tied, and Velázquez — who had gone hitless in six at-bats against Chicago during his time as a Cub in 2023 — had announced his return in the most dramatic fashion possible.
The Cardinals needed the jolt. They had dropped four straight, while Chicago arrived having won just two of their last twelve. Ian Happ had given the Cubs their early cushion with a two-out homer in the second, his third consecutive game going deep. But St. Louis kept swinging. Thomas Saggese tied it again at 4-4 with a solo shot in the fourth, and Iván Herrera put the Cardinals ahead 5-4 with another solo blast in the fifth — his third homer in eight games.
The Cubs refused to fold quietly. Michael Busch, who finished with three hits, singled home a run to keep Chicago close, and Pete Crow-Armstrong scored on a Busch groundout in the ninth to cut the deficit to 6-5. But St. Louis had just enough cushion, built on José Fermín's two-out RBI single in the eighth. Riley O'Brien, the sixth reliever of the night, recorded his 14th save. Gordon Graceffo earned the win in relief, while Shota Imanaga absorbed the loss after allowing five runs in 5 1/3 innings.
The two clubs meet again Saturday, with Kyle Leahy facing Ben Brown in what figures to be another tightly contested divisional affair.
Nelson Velázquez stepped into the batter's box at Busch Stadium on Friday night having just arrived from Triple-A Memphis hours earlier. He had not played in a major league game since June 2024, when he was with Kansas City. The Cubs pitcher wound up. Velázquez swung at the first pitch he saw and sent it sailing over the left field fence—a three-run shot that tied the game at 3-3 and announced his return to baseball's biggest stage.
It was the kind of debut moment that sticks with a player. Velázquez had struggled against Chicago in the past, going hitless in six at-bats in 2023 when he wore a Cubs uniform himself. He had been with the organization in 2022 and 2023 before moving on. Now, in his first swing as a Cardinal, he had delivered the blow that would ultimately decide the game.
The Cardinals needed that spark. They had lost four straight before Friday, and the Cubs came in riding a fragile two-game winning streak after dropping ten of their previous twelve. Chicago had struck first, with Ian Happ launching a two-out homer off Cardinals starter Andre Pallante in the second inning to give the visitors a 3-0 lead. Happ was in a groove—this marked his third consecutive game with a home run.
But St. Louis kept chipping away. Thomas Saggese tied the game 4-4 with a solo shot in the fourth inning, his fourth career home run. Then Iván Herrera put the Cardinals ahead 5-4 with a solo blast in the fifth. Herrera had been hot lately, homering in three of his last eight games. The Cubs answered back to make it 5-4 when Michael Busch singled home a run in the second, and Busch would finish the night with three hits total.
José Fermín extended the Cardinals' lead to 6-4 in the eighth with a two-out single that scored a run. The Cubs mounted a late threat when Pete Crow-Armstrong scored on a Busch groundout, cutting it to 6-5, but it was not enough. Riley O'Brien, the sixth reliever St. Louis deployed, recorded his 14th save of the season.
Gordon Graceffo earned the win with a clean inning of relief work, improving to 4-1. Cubs starter Shota Imanaga took the loss, allowing five runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings and falling to 4-6. The Cardinals' four home runs proved decisive in a game that swung back and forth before settling in their favor.
The teams will meet again Saturday, with Kyle Leahy taking the mound for St. Louis against Cubs right-hander Ben Brown. Leahy carries a 5-3 record and a 4.44 ERA into the matchup, while Brown is 1-2 with a 2.01 ERA.
Notable Quotes
Velázquez had been 0-for-6 against the Cubs in 2023 when he played for them in 2022-23— Game recap
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
What made Velázquez's moment so significant beyond just hitting a home run?
He hadn't played in the majors in nearly two years. You're called up from the minors, you get to the ballpark, and within hours you're in a game. The first pitch you see, you hit it out. That's not just luck—that's the kind of thing that defines a player's confidence going forward.
Did the Cardinals need that psychological lift, or was it purely about the runs?
Both. They'd lost four straight. You're looking for anything to break the spell. When a new guy comes in and does something that dramatic, it changes the energy in the dugout. It says something is shifting.
The Cubs had momentum coming in, though—two wins after a rough stretch.
They did, but momentum is fragile. One bad inning, one mistake, and it evaporates. Happ's homers had them feeling good, but the Cardinals just kept answering. Four home runs in one game is a statement.
What does this say about how these teams match up going forward?
The Cardinals have power. The Cubs have some too, but they're still searching for consistency. This game showed that when St. Louis gets rolling offensively, they can overcome a deficit. That's dangerous for division opponents.
Is there anything unusual about using six relievers in one game?
It suggests the starter didn't go deep—Pallante only lasted three innings. That puts pressure on the bullpen. The fact that St. Louis's relievers held up and got the save means the depth is there, but it's not ideal for a long season.