Alec Burleson's 2-run HR leads Cardinals' 9-7 rally over Rays

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alec Burleson hit a two-run homer to cap off an eight-run outburst in the sixth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals rallied for a 9-7 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

Rookie JJ Wetherholt also homered for St. Louis.

Jonathan Aranda homered for Tampa Bay, which took a 7-1 lead with six runs in the top of the sixth.

St. Louis answered back with eight runs in its half including run-scoring sacrifice flies by Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera, which tied the game 7-all.

Burleson followed with a blast to right field.

Both teams sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning.

Jonny DeLuca had a two-run single to highlight the sixth inning for Tampa Bay, which had won four of its previous five games on opening day.

Riley O’Brien picked up the win with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Ryne Stanek earned the save. He struck out Richie Palacios with the bases loaded to end the game.

St. Louis outfielder Nathan Church added a two-run hit in the sixth. Church, Burleson and Victor Scott II had three hits each.

Yandy Díaz, Ben Williamson and Nick Fortes had three hits each for the Rays.

Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen allowed just one run on four hits over five innings in his first opening day assignment.

Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore surrendered one run on seven hits in five innings.

The Cardinals are in rebuilding mode after trading veterans Sonny Gray, Brendan Donovan, Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras in the offseason for prospects.

The game time temperature of 91 degrees was the hottest opening day in the history of Busch Stadium, eclipsing the previous mark of 73 degrees on April 5, 1999.

After a day off on Friday, Tampa Bay RH Joe Boyle (1-0, 3. 52 ERA last season) will face RHP Michael McGreevy (8-4, 4.42) in the second game of the three-game set on Saturday,

St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt reacts after an at bat of his MLB Debut during the first inning an opening-day baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt reacts after hitting a homer against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

Tampa Bay Rays' Drew Rasmussen pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

A member of the grounds crew cleans the field prior to an opening-day baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson (41) reacts after hitting a homer against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department will relocate from its headquarters to a smaller Washington office as part of the Trump administration's dismantling of the agency, officials said Thursday.

The agency has seen its ranks thinned by mass layoffs since President Donald Trump took office, and its headquarters building has been 70% vacant, the Education Department said. In its place, the Energy Department will assume the lease in the building.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon hailed it as a milestone in the administration's efforts to shutter the agency, which Trump ordered to move toward closure a year ago this month.

“Thanks to the hard work of so many, we have made unprecedented progress in reducing the federal education footprint, and now we are pleased to give this building to an agency that will benefit far more from its space than the Department of Education," McMahon said in a written statement.

The Education Department's relocation to another office space in Washington is planned for August.

Administration officials said the move would save taxpayers money by eliminating wasted space and avoiding needed maintenance on the Energy Department's current headquarters building.

The move is the latest in a series of steps the Trump administration has taken to dismantle the Education Department, a campaign promise.

The union representing department workers condemned the move.

“The message the Secretary’s announcement sends to our staff and the American public is clear — education is next on the chopping block,” American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 President Rachel Gittleman said in a statement.

Only Congress has the authority to close the department, but the Trump administration has offloaded many of the Education Department's programs and functions to other parts of the federal government through so-called “ interagency agreements.”

Still, moving the Education Department out of its headquarters is one of the most “overt actions” McMahon has taken to shut down the agency, said Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee.

“This decision to close the Department's physical building is not just a symbolic move," Scott said in a statement. "It reflects a broader effort to reduce the federal government's role in ensuring people have equal access to a quality education.”

In the most recent effort to break apart the Education Department, the Trump administration last week assigned management of student loans in default to the Treasury Department. Responsibility for the rest of the $1.7 trillion federal student loan portfolio is to go to Treasury at an unspecified date.

Over the last year, programs that oversee a range of education initiatives, including family engagement, funding for low-income schools and teacher training have moved to agencies such as Health and Human Services and the Labor Department.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

FILE - The U.S. Department of Education building is seen in Washington, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)