The St. Louis Cardinals delivered a dominant all-around performance Friday night, shutting out the Cleveland Guardians 5–0 behind a dazzling complete-game one-hitter from ace Sonny Gray, reminding the league they are still a force to be reckoned with in the National League.
After enduring a pair of shutout losses, the Cardinals flipped the script with power at the plate and poise on the mound. Gray was the star of the night, allowing just one hit, striking out 11, and walking none over nine masterful innings. It was his first complete-game shutout since 2015, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for a Cardinals team looking to gain momentum in the playoff race.
“He was in total command,” manager Oliver Marmol said postgame. “Every pitch had a purpose. You could feel the confidence in every inning.”
But this win was far from a solo act.
The offense came alive in the third inning, ending a team-wide scoring drought with back-to-back long balls. Pedro Pagés launched a solo homer—his first of the season—to break a 24-inning dry spell, and Alec Burleson followed with a towering two-run blast to give St. Louis a 3–0 cushion. Burleson wasn’t done, later lacing an RBI double to cap off a three-RBI night. Nolan Arenado added an eighth-inning RBI single to ice the game.
In total, the Cardinals tallied 10 hits, executed clean defense, and saw Gray retire 19 consecutive batters at one point. The Guardians, meanwhile, were handed their second straight shutout loss, falling to 40–40.
The win moves St. Louis to 45–38, marking their seventh victory in the last 10 games and positioning them firmly in the NL Central race.
“You could feel the energy in the dugout again,” Burleson said. “We needed this win—and we wanted it for Sonny.”
Gray’s 89-pitch masterpiece also marked his 20th career double-digit strikeout game, and his seventh complete game, sending a strong message to the league: the Cardinals’ rotation can go toe-to-toe with anyone.
St. Louis will look to carry the momentum into Saturday’s series finale, eyeing a sweep and further solidifying their resurgence.