Cardinals Avoid Sweep with Sunday Night Victory Over Tigers

Veteran catcher Ivan Herrera leads St. Louis offense in win over future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander

Apr. 5, 2026 at 2:22am

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The St. Louis Cardinals avoided a series sweep against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday Night Baseball, defeating the home team 6-4 behind a strong performance from veteran catcher Ivan Herrera. Facing future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander, who struggled in his season debut, Herrera recorded two hits, scored a run, and drove in two RBIs to power the Cardinals' offense.

Why it matters

The Cardinals' win prevents the Tigers from completing a sweep and builds momentum for St. Louis heading into the next series. Verlander's continued struggles raise questions about the 43-year-old's ability to maintain his elite form as he ages, while Herrera's production highlights the young catcher's potential to be a key contributor for the Cardinals this season.

The details

Verlander, who is coming off a rough outing in his season debut, allowed four earned runs on eight hits over 5.1 innings of work. The Cardinals' starter, Kyle Leahy, also struggled, giving up four runs in his five innings pitched. However, Herrera's two-run homer in the third inning and RBI single in the sixth proved to be the difference, as the Cardinals' bullpen was able to hold on for the victory.

  • The game was played on Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 7:20 p.m. ET.
  • Verlander's season debut, in which he allowed five earned runs in under four innings, was on April 1, 2026.

The players

Justin Verlander

A future Hall of Fame starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who is 43 years old and coming off a rough season opener.

Ivan Herrera

The veteran catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals who had two hits, a run scored, and two RBIs to lead his team's offense in the Sunday Night Baseball victory.

Kyle Leahy

The starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, who allowed four runs in his five innings of work.

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What they’re saying

“We knew Verlander would be a tough test, but our guys did a great job of battling and finding ways to score runs against him. Ivan really set the tone for us offensively, and that was huge in getting this win.”

— Oliver Marmol, St. Louis Cardinals Manager

What’s next

The Cardinals will look to build on this win as they head into their next series, while the Tigers will try to rebound after failing to complete the sweep.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the continued excellence of veteran catcher Ivan Herrera, who is emerging as a key contributor for the Cardinals, as well as the potential vulnerability of aging star Justin Verlander, whose struggles raise questions about his ability to maintain his Hall of Fame-caliber performance as he gets older.