The St. Louis Cardinals are officially the hottest team in Major League Baseball. On a dramatic Sunday afternoon in Houston, the Redbirds showcased their resilience and clutch hitting to outlast the Houston Astros in a 7-5 extra-inning thriller. The victory not only secured a series sweep but also extended the St. Louis Cardinals win streak to five games, marking their most dominant stretch of the 2026 season thus far.
St. Louis Cardinals Win Streak Reaches Five in Dramatic Fashion
Entering Sunday’s contest, the Cardinals were looking to put a stamp on their road trip. They did exactly that, though it required more than the standard nine innings to settle the score. After a late-inning collapse saw a comfortable lead evaporate, the Cardinals regrouped in the tenth inning to take down their former division rivals. The win improves St. Louis to a perfect 5-0 in extra-inning games this season, a testament to the composure of manager Oliver Marmol’s squad.
The hero of the day was undoubtedly Masyn Winn. The Houston-area native seemed determined to put on a show for his hometown crowd, finishing the day 3-for-5 with a massive contribution when the pressure was at its highest. Winn’s performance on Sunday capped off a sensational series in which he tallied seven RBIs, proving why he has become a cornerstone of the Cardinals' lineup.
Masyn Winn Delivers in the Tenth
With the game knotted at 4-4 heading into the tenth inning, the Cardinals went to work against Houston reliever Bryan King. Following the automatic runner rule, the Cardinals managed to load the bases for Winn with two outs. On an 0-1 fastball, Winn stayed back and drove a sharp double down the third-base line, clearing the bases. Ivan Herrera, Jordan Walker, and Ramon Urias all crossed the plate on the play, giving St. Louis a 7-4 cushion.
The double was the exclamation point on a day where Winn’s bat provided the necessary spark. "Masyn has that 'it' factor," Marmol said following the game. "He doesn't shrink in those moments; he grows. To do that here in Houston makes it even more special for him."
Houston’s Eighth-Inning Surge Forces Extras
For much of the afternoon, it appeared the Cardinals would cruise to a victory. St. Louis held a 4-1 lead entering the bottom of the eighth, but the Astros’ bats finally woke up against the Cardinals' bullpen. Yordan Alvarez ignited the comeback with a towering solo home run off JoJo Romero, his league-leading 10th long ball of the year.
The momentum continued to shift as Jose Altuve singled and Christian Walker battled through a 10-pitch walk to put the tying runs on base. Isaac Paredes, who had been struggling through an 0-for-20 slump, delivered the equalizer with a two-run single to right-center off Riley O’Brien. While the rally tied the game, the Cardinals' bullpen eventually settled down, with O'Brien (3-0) earning the win after pitching through the ninth and tenth.
Pitching Duel: Liberatore vs. Burrows
Lost in the late-inning fireworks was a stellar starting pitching performance by Matthew Liberatore. The left-hander provided exactly what the Cardinals needed, tossing six innings of three-hit ball while allowing just one run. His only mistake came in the third inning when Taylor Trammell tripled and scored on a Carlos Correa sacrifice fly. Liberatore’s efficiency allowed the Cardinals to maintain control through the mid-stages of the game.
On the other side, Astros starter Mike Burrows was nearly untouchable early on. Burrows retired the first 14 Cardinals he faced, carrying a perfect game into the fifth inning. However, the wheels came off quickly. A two-out single by Winn broke up the perfection, followed by a walk to Nathan Church and an infield single by Pedro Pages. Victor Scott II drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game, and JJ Wetherholt followed with a clutch two-run single to give St. Louis their first lead of the day.
Closing the Door in Houston
After Winn’s bases-clearing double in the tenth, the Astros attempted one final rally. They managed to get the tying run to the plate, but Gordon Graceffo entered the game to record the final out, earning his first save of the season. The victory completed the Cardinals' first three-game sweep in Houston since April 2004.
In addition to the team success, Jordan Walker continued his individual brilliance. With a single in the fifth inning, Walker extended his hitting streak to 14 games, the longest active streak in the National League. As the Cardinals head to their next series, they do so with a roster clicking on all cylinders and a St. Louis Cardinals win streak that shows no signs of slowing down.
The Astros, meanwhile, fall to a disappointing stretch, having lost four in a row and 12 of their last 14 contests. They will look to rebound as they open a series in Cleveland on Monday night.
Sources & Original Reporting
