Alec Burleson hits 3 homers for Cardinals at Yankee Stadium after trade deadline passes

NEW YORK (AP) — Alec Burleson was so relieved to stay with the St. Louis Cardinals that he produced one of the best power displays in team history.

After the frenzy of Monday’s trade deadline, Burleson hit a trio of two-run homers off three different pitchers, including a drive into the second deck in right field that capped a seven-run eighth inning as St. Louis outslugged the New York Yankees for a 13-7 victory despite blowing a six-run lead.

“He’s human and there’s a lot of conversations around it, but he was able to kind of stay focused on the things he could control,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “I’d give him credit for prepping the way he did today, knowing that his name was still being thrown around and having the type of night that he did.”

Burleson had the biggest night of his five-year career after the Cardinals traded outfielder Lars Nootbaar to Arizona and pitchers Dustin May and JoJo Romero to Milwaukee. About an hour before the first pitch, Burleson met with Marmol in his office and learned he was staying with the young Cardinals (56-57), who were nine games over .500 on June 16.

“He kind of messed with me a little bit,” Burleson said. “He kind of brought me in like I was being traded and just said, ‘Hey, you’re staying here’ and just shook my hand. He just kind of messed with me a little, and he just told me to be myself.”

Burleson had the first three-homer game by a Cardinals player since catcher Iván Herrera did it April 2, 2025, against the Angels. The 27-year-old became the first Cardinals first baseman with a three-homer game since current Yankees slugger Paul Goldschmidt on May 7, 2023.

On a muggy night when the teams combined for 10 homers and 18 of the 20 runs were scored via longballs, the left-handed-hitting Burleson used the short porch in right field to his advantage.

Three batters into the game, he pulled a 1-2 fastball from hard-throwing Yankees starter Cam Schlittler into right-field seats for a 350-foot drive. In the fourth, Burleson sent an 0-1 sinker 15 feet further into the right-field seats off reliever Tim Hill.

After the Yankees took a 7-6 lead on a two-run homer by newcomer Luis García Jr. in the seventh, the Cardinals scored seven times in the eighth for their second-biggest inning this season. Following a go-ahead, three-run homer by Nathan Church and a two-run drive by fellow rookie Jimmie Crooks, Burleson fouled off three straight pitches before connecting on a 2-2 slider from Angel Chivilli and launching it 418 feet to right for a 13-7 advantage.

Burleson became the 15th player in St. Louis history with a three-homer game. He also became the eighth visiting player to do it at the current Yankee Stadium, which opened in 2009. The previous one was Jordan Diaz for the Athletics on May 9, 2023.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees pitcher Tim Hill (41) watches as St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson (41) celebrates with teammates Iván Herrera (48) and Jordan Walker (18) after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

St. Louis Cardinals players celebrates as Alec Burleson (41) runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson hits a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson hits a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

St. Louis Cardinals' Alec Burleson (41) hits a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

PHOENIX (AP) — Tim Tawa hit a three-run homer and Brandon Pfaadt carried a shutout into the seventh inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 5-1 Monday night in the opener of a 10-game homestand against NL West rivals.

The victory moved the Diamondbacks two games ahead of San Diego in the NL wild-card race. Arizona (60-53) is tied with Philadelphia for the final playoff spots.

Tawa’s three-run homer in the fourth over the Arizona bullpen in left field put the Diamondbacks ahead to stay. Ketel Marte drew a walk from Michael King leading off the inning and, one out later, Adrian Del Castillo singled. Tawa, who had three of the Diamondbacks' nine hits, followed with his fifth homer of the season.

James McCann's RBI double and Jorge Barrosa's sacrifice fly against Wandy Peralta in the eighth added to the Arizona lead.

Pfaadt (6-1) went 6 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and one unearned run. He walked one and struck out three. Since returning from the minor leagues on June 30, Pfaadt is 6-0 with a 1.55 ERA.

Juan Morillo got four outs for Arizona and Brandyn García pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

King (6-8) labored through five-plus innings, throwing 31 pitches in the first inning and 104 pitches overall. He gave up five hits, walked four and struck out five.

Diamondbacks left fielder Max Kepler’s leaping catch took a home run away from Jake Cronenworth to end the Padres' sixth.

Arizona is 14-6 in its last 20 games. San Diego had won eight of its previous nine.

Diamondbacks All-Star LHP Eduardo Rodríguez (10-3, 2.48) starts Tuesday against Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (6-6, 4.45).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill connects for an infield single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Tim Tawa connects for a three-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt throws against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)