Cardinals Triumph as Báez Makes Historic MLB Debut

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Joshua Báez made a stunning debut in Major League Baseball, hitting three home runs in his first three at-bats. This remarkable feat led the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.

Báez, a promising 23-year-old left fielder, was called up from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day. He immediately showed his potential by launching the first pitch he encountered into the Wrigley Field bleachers. His next two at-bats also resulted in home runs, totaling five runs batted in for the day.

Other contributions to the Cardinals’ victory came from Blaze Jordan and Alec Burleson, who each added solo home runs. The win came after the Cardinals lost the opener of the three-game series.

Báez’s achievement marks him as the first St. Louis player to homer in his first career plate appearance since Lane Thomas achieved the feat in June 2019.

On the Cubs side, Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer, contributing to a team that had been victorious in nine of their past eleven games. Cardinals’ pitcher Michael McGreevy, with a record of 5-9, allowed three unearned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six in the first six innings. This was his first win since July 8.

Báez hit all three homers off Chicago Cubs’ pitcher Matthew Boyd, who now holds an 8-2 record. Báez’s first homer, a two-run shot, landed deep in the left-center field bleachers in the first inning. After Conforto tied the game at 3-3 in the second, Báez regained the lead for the Cardinals with a home run in the fourth and another in the sixth down the opposite field line.

Boyd ended his day after allowing seven runs on five hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings, striking out two. The eighth inning saw Burleson homer off Colin Rea.

The series will conclude on Sunday afternoon with the Cardinals pitching Hunter Dobbins, who holds a 2-3 record and a 3.40 ERA, against the Cubs’ right-hander Edward Cabrera, who has a 5-4 record and a 5.10 ERA. Cabrera will be making his first start since a left hamstring strain sidelined him on June 23.