Walker, Church and Burleson torch Braves with 7-run seventh to win 11-5
Jordan Walker’s four-RBI blast, Nathan Church’s two-run tiebreaker, and Lars Burleson’s clutch hit spark a late surge that buries Atlanta at Truist Park.
Jordan Walker’s four-RBI blast, Nathan Church’s two-run tiebreaker, and Lars Burleson’s clutch hit spark a late surge that buries Atlanta at Truist Park.
The St. Louis Cardinals erased a 5-4 deficit in the seventh inning with a seven-run explosion, capped by three home runs, to hand the Atlanta Braves a rare home loss, 11-5, on Tuesday night at Truist Park. Jordan Walker led off the seventh with a three-run homer off Braves reliever Dylan Lee, giving the Cardinals a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Nathan Church followed with a two-run blast of his own off Dylan Smith, tying the game at 5-5 before Lars Burleson’s RBI single plated the go-ahead run. The Cardinals added three more runs in the frame, including a solo shot by Nolan Arenado, to complete the comeback. Walker’s four-RBI performance included a solo homer in the first and his three-run blast in the seventh, finishing 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Church went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk, while Burleson contributed a key single and scored a run. 1 innings, with Giovanny Gallegos closing out the win. Atlanta starter Max Fried pitched six strong innings but absorbed the loss after the bullpen collapse.
The Braves’ bullpen allowed six runs in the seventh, including the three home runs that turned the game. Atlanta’s offense managed just five hits and stranded 10 runners, compounding their struggles. The Cardinals’ surge mirrored their recent offensive resurgence, ranking among the league’s top teams in late-inning scoring over the past month.
Walker, Church, and Burleson—all 24 or younger—combined for nine RBIs in the game, highlighting the franchise’s shift toward youth-driven production. 45 ERA masks struggles when the bullpen falters. Defensive lapses also played a role in Atlanta’s collapse.
A throwing error by Dansby Swanson in the seventh allowed an unearned run, while a misplayed fly ball by Michael Harris II extended the inning. The Braves’ defensive metrics have dipped in recent weeks, with a league-worst 12 errors over their last 10 games, further exposing their inconsistency. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol praised the late surge, saying, “That’s the kind of inning we need to win games.
” The Cardinals snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 70-56 on the season. The Cardinals’ offensive explosion in the seventh inning wasn’t just a one-off performance; it reflected a broader trend in the National League. Over the past 30 days, St.
Louis ranks second in the NL for runs scored in the seventh inning or later, a testament to their bullpen’s endurance and their young hitters’ clutch timing. This late-game prowess has become a cornerstone of their playoff push, allowing them to erase deficits that would sink lesser teams. Atlanta’s struggles, meanwhile, extend beyond the bullpen.
45 ERA, the Braves rank 12th in the NL in team ERA when accounting for bullpen performance, a clear sign that their pitching staff’s value is inflated by his starts. The seventh-inning collapse exposed the fragility of a rotation that leans heavily on veteran arms without sufficient depth behind them. With the Phillies surging, Atlanta can no longer afford such lapses if they hope to secure a wild-card spot.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol praised the late surge, saying, “That’s the kind of inning we need to win games. ” The Cardinals snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 70-56 on the season. What’s next: The Cardinals head to Miami to face the Marlins on Wednesday, while the Braves remain at home to host the Phillies over the weekend. Read at ESPN
The Cardinals’ 7-run seventh inning underscores the impact of their young core—Walker, Church, and Burleson—while snapping a two-game slide. The win keeps St. Louis within 3.5 games of the NL Central lead, keeping pressure on the Brewers and Cubs. For Atlanta, the collapse exposes bullpen vulnerabilities and drops them 1.5 games behind the Phillies in the wild-card hunt. The contrast between St. Louis’s youth-driven offense and Atlanta’s veteran-heavy approach frames a pivotal stretch of the playoff race, where late-inning execution could decide divisional and wild-card races.
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