Emerging
Jun 23, 2026 Major2
81%
Cardinals Edge Diamondbacks 3-2 as Rookies Wetherholt and Church Deliver
Rookies JJ Wetherholt and Nathan Church each recorded two hits as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Monday. Andre Pallante pitched effectively for the win, extending his streak to four consecutive victories, while Riley O'Brien earned his 19th save.



Quick Facts
Who
JJ Wetherholt
What
Cardinals defeated Diamondbacks
When
Monday night
Where
St. Louis
- Cardinals defeated Diamondbacks
- Wetherholt and Church each had two hits
- Pallante earned the win after allowing six hits and one run
- O'Brien recorded his 19th save
- Burleson drove in Church on an infield single
The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Monday night, powered by standout performances from rookies JJ Wetherholt and Nathan Church, who each recorded two hits. The Cardinals' pitching was equally impressive, with Andre Pallante (9-4) earning the win after allowing six hits and one run over six innings. Pallante has now won his last four starts and has limited opponents to two runs or fewer in five of his last six outings, with St. Louis winning all five of those games. Closer Riley O'Brien secured his 19th save in 23 opportunities by pitching the ninth inning.
The Cardinals built their lead methodically. St. Louis took a 1-0 advantage in the third inning when Alec Burleson's one-out infield single drove in Nathan Church. The Cardinals then extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth on Blaze Jordan's two-run sacrifice fly to deep center, which scored Jimmy Croocks, followed by Church's run-scoring single to shallow center that brought in Masyn Winn.
Arizona's Merrill Kelly (5-7) pitched six innings while allowing three runs on seven hits. The Diamondbacks mounted a late comeback, with Nolan Arenado—a five-year Cardinals veteran—driving in a run on a sixth-inning groundout to cut St. Louis' lead to 3-1. Arenado received a standing ovation before his first at-bat in the second inning following his January trade. The Diamondbacks added another run in the seventh when Tommy Troy hit a 440-foot home run to center off reliever Ryne Stanek, who was making his 500th career appearance. Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll each contributed two hits for Arizona.
Topics
Why This Matters
This Cardinals victory showcases the emergence of promising rookie talent while highlighting the team's pitching depth and late-game reliability. For fantasy baseball players and team investors, Wetherholt and Church's consistent offensive production signals potential long-term contributors, while Pallante's four-game winning streak and O'Brien's save rate demonstrate the bullpen strength that could be critical in playoff contention scenarios.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 23, 2026
WireGame begins between Cardinals and Diamondbacks
Jun 23, 2026
WireThird inning: Cardinals take 1-0 lead on Burleson's infield single driving in Church
Jun 23, 2026
WireFourth inning: Cardinals extend lead to 3-0 with Jordan's sacrifice fly and Church's run-scoring single
Jun 23, 2026
WireSixth inning: Arenado drives in run on groundout, cutting lead to 3-1
Jun 23, 2026
WireSeventh inning: Tommy Troy hits 440-foot home run off Stanek, making it 3-2
Jun 23, 2026
WireNinth inning: Riley O'Brien secures save to preserve 3-2 victory