Astros vs. Cardinals Game Highlights (4/16/25) | MLB Highlights

It's a picture perfect day at Bush Stadium as the birds try to keep that team STL success rolling. The Astros have another chance to win two in a row for the first time this year. It was a rough game in that first game of this series but they bounced back yesterday with a shutout against a very good offensive team. But still a chance with a win today for the Cardinals to wrap up this homestand 4-2. And let's have a winning homestand behind Steven Matz today. Matz one and one lifetime against the Astros his fourth game and third start. His first start of 2025 a really good spring training for him and finally healthy. Jose Altuve leads it off DH'ing for the second time in this three-game series hitting 300. Through the middle and of course Altuve has a first base hit of the game. Jose now with 22 hits on the year singles to start this one. So the leadoff man on for Jeremy Pena hitting 213. Comes in with a seven-game hit streak that he extended with a double yesterday. That ball through the middle that's going to be a base hit. Altuve taking the turn he's going to test Victor Scott the second. He's going to get there goes Pena to second. He's safe. Astros running the bases aggressively second and third nobody out. Pena now has hit in all nine games he has played against his dad's former team. Now the Astros who have had trouble in the first inning have a golden opportunity. For Isaac Paredes the Astros third baseman he's hitless in the series. Here's a ground ball that goes to the second baseman a run scores. Donovan throws out Paredes. Altuve crosses the plate one nothing with Pena advancing to third. There's where that extra base kills you. Maybe you don't get a double play on that with Paredes. But you at least get the runner at second base. And a tough go early on for Walker in his Astros career. With runners in scoring position just two RBIs on the season two for 14. Walker takes strike three. A breaking ball that catches the outside corner. Walker was trying to take a walk. Walker not too happy with Ramon DeJesus. Looked like DeJesus got that right. So Yiner Diaz the catcher infield backs up with two outs. In the air to right. Walker on the run. Red that will. And that will retire the side. And Mattson D got out of the inning with only one run scoring. Could have been a lot worse. So let's see what St. Louis can do with Ronel Blanco. A former reliever that they turned into a starter. And boy did that turn out to be a great decision. Won his last start. His first one of the year on Friday against the Angels when he gave up two runs. Over five innings. Pitched much better in that game than he did in his first two. I'm looking to continue that this afternoon in St. Louis. Extra base hits in back-to-back games for Lars Knutbar. Ball four outside. Now he can remove the body armor. And the Cardinals have the tying run on with Wilson Contreras coming up. Owen Skyde in the air. Jake Myers doesn't have to move far. He drifts in and now puts it away for the first out. Here's Brendan Donovan. Fun watching this guy do his thing. Donovan your major league hits leader. And riding an 11 game hitting streak. That's lifted to right pretty deep. Racing over and running it down. Cam Smith going into the gap. Had to reach as far as he could with his left arm. On that line drive by Donovan for the second out. Really good closing speed and a good first step here for Cam Smith. This ball off the bat. Left hander continues to tail away from Smith. He didn't give up on it. Nice play by the young right fielder. Arnauto in the series. His four for eight. Two doubles a homer. Two RBIs. And a stolen base. This one popped up. Long run for Smith. And he's going to get there to put it away for the final out of the inning. So an initial walk doesn't hurt Ronaldo Blanco. Thanks to a nice play by Cam Smith. Steven Matt starts his third inning. Gave up hits to the first two batters. Has since retired six straight. Cormack historically has performed well against lefties. This is only however his second plate appearance against a lefty this year. It's popped up right side. And Burleson is moving over towards the tarp. Backing up. And he makes the catch. He spun around a little bit but made the play. Showed his good hands. Nice catch. Yeah that was a little hairy. Burleson has the out. One away. Here's Peña. This is his ninth game against his dad's former team. He's got a hit in every single one of them. Got a hit in the first inning. Ground ball left side. That's handled by Arnauto. And he throws out. Jeremy Peña. Really quick inning. That is eight straight. Make it nine straight. Retired by Steven Matt. And a four pitch walk. Third of the game. So sooner or later got to cash in these free passes. Donovan coming into today has 26 hits. That leads the major leagues. You're going to try to do what you've been trying to do to the rest of the lineup. You're going to try to get him to offer out one of these breaking balls that are down in the zone. See if he can get himself out. Let's walk ball way up in the air. Brendan Rodgers the second baseman camped under it. And puts it away for the final out of the inning. So Ronell works around a walk every inning so far. Matt's is stretched out. But 65-70 pitches or so. Boy quick easy fourth. Might be able to squeeze two more out of him if things go well. Here's Christian Walker. He was rung up his last time up. Ground ball to third. Arnauto has it. And he gets his man. Here's another good play. As Arnauto throws out. Walker. We've gotten spoiled over the years watching plays like this. You just expect them to happen. But realize the difficulty of this play goes on the backhand. The quick release on the run. And pegs him over at first. Two outs now for Yiner Diaz. The Astros catcher lined out to right field his last time up. A swing and a miss. He got him with a changeup. Matt's 12 in a row sent down. He is rolling right now. Still 1-0 Astros. Everything in the air so far. He had no assists recorded by Astros defenders to this point. Burleson flight out to left. Little squibber hit toward third. Paredes has it. Throw to first. He is going to be in time. Burley said he's safe. Let's see if the Cardinals challenge this. But we'll have a chance to look at it as Ollie wants the. They want to review this. Oh definitely. This is. This one should not take much time. Paul Clemons over at first base. Took his time on that call. So Burleson with an infield hit. He's got a hit in every game he started against Houston in his career. Burleson picks up the Cardinals first hit. So now he's in scoring position. We knew the Cardinals would want to run on the Astros. They just did it again. Base hit ties this game. Grounder to the short. This should do it. Peña's got it. A good throw over to first base. And that's the first ground out of the game for the St. Louis Cardinals. Grinnell shutting out St. Louis through four. So 14 straight. Astros have been retired. Fernandez should be ready at the bullpen. Cam Smith a strikeout victim in his lone trip. That one center cut. And Steven Matz finishes with a flourish. He retires 15 in a row. He struck out five through five innings. Now Matz needs some run support. The Cardinals down only one halfway through game three. The Redbirds, Brad, are in business in the fifth inning. First and third. Nobody out. Cardinals got to cash this one in. Well, let's see if Newt Barr can't pick up a hit. He's walked twice. First and third. Nobody out. Connor Diaz tries to pump him up saying, come on, throw strikes. He can't throw one to Lars, can he? Swing and a fly ball hit the center. Meyers on the run. The three run homer for Newt Barr. Lars Newt Barr selective, selective, selective until he finds something he can drive. It's a hanging curveball from Blanco. Dead center field. Three run shot his third of the year. And he gives the Cardinals a two run lead. Now it's Sejasi's turn to see what he can do with a runner in scoring position. Key at bat in the fifth as well after falling behind 0 and 2. The Cardinals are trying to add on leading by two. Sejasi hits it fair inside the first base bag down the right field line. Walker's going to score. Advancing to third. It's Bozo. The throw comes into the infield and into second. Thomas Sejasi. The Cardinals have added on. And they lead 4 to 1 in St. Louis. You've got Walker off the line over there at first base. Fast or change up. Up. Hands in and just guides it through the right side. The Cardinals three outs away from a series win over the Astros. And they have a well-rested and ready Ryan Helsley. As Yanir Diaz is coming up. The Astros are down to their last out today. Ryan Helsley and out away from picking up his third save and four save opportunities. It's driven to right. And that's going to end the ball. Cardinals have a 4 and 2 homestand. They take two out of three from the Astros. Great pitching. Timely hitting. And the Redbirds head to New York on a happy flight.