St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs

Alec Burleson has been around long enough now to know what August can do to a hitter. The legs get heavier. The swing can get a little longer. What felt effortless in April suddenly requires more intention. Burleson has lived through those stretches before. This year, he wanted something different. On Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the version of Burleson the Cardinals need for the stretch run showed up. Burleson went 3-for-5 with a homer, a double, four RBIs and two runs scored in St. Louis’ 11-4 win over the Cubs, helping the Cardinals take both the series and the season series, 7-6. The victory pushed St. Louis to 63-61 and kept it in the National League Wild Card race. “I know what August can do to you,” Burleson said. “I know what September can do for you. I understand what that looks like, and so I think I’ve just taken that next step.” He certainly looked comfortable Sunday. After JJ Wetherholt opened the game with a bloop double, Burleson launched a 421-foot homer into the right-field bleachers, giving St. Louis a 2-0 lead before the Cubs had recorded a second out. It was Burleson’s 21st homer, tying his career high from 2024, and his second straight game with a home run. It was also the first sign the Cardinals’ offense was ready to carry over the jolt Joshua Báez provided one day earlier. Then came the at-bat that, to manager Oliver Marmol, helped define the afternoon. With two outs in the fourth and St. Louis already threatening to break the game open, Cubs manager Craig Counsell went to left-hander Ryan Rolison specifically to face Burleson. In theory, it was the matchup Chicago wanted. Burleson made it the matchup St. Louis wanted instead. He jumped on Rolison’s first pitch and sliced a two-run single into left field. Jordan Walker followed with a two-run homer to dead center, and a close game had suddenly turned into a six-run inning and a 9-2 Cardinals lead.