Cardinals fall to Tigers despite Walker's grand slam in rain-shortened loss

Detroit's offense powered by three two-run homers in 11-6 victory over St. Louis

Apr. 5, 2026 at 8:50pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The St. Louis Cardinals fell to the Detroit Tigers, 11-6, in a rain-shortened game on Saturday at Comerica Park. The contest was called after 8 1/3 innings following a 40-minute rain delay. Detroit's offense was powered by three two-run homers, while the Cardinals were led by Jordan Walker's grand slam.

Why it matters

The loss leaves the Cardinals looking to rebound in the remainder of the early-season series against the Tigers, as they try to bounce back from the rain-shortened defeat.

The details

Detroit jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed, adding key insurance runs in the fourth, seventh, and eighth innings. The Tigers' offense was powered by three two-run homers from Kerry Carpenter, Zach McKinstry, and Matt Vierling, as well as a solo shot from Gleyber Torres. The Cardinals were led by Jordan Walker, who went 3-for-4 with a grand slam, driving in five of St. Louis' six runs. However, the Cardinals' starting pitching struggled, with Dustin May allowing seven runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings and Jack Flaherty giving up five runs in four-plus innings for Detroit.

  • The game was called after 8 1/3 innings following a 40-minute rain delay on Saturday, April 5, 2026.

The players

Jordan Walker

A Cardinals player who went 3-for-4 with a grand slam, driving in five of St. Louis' six runs.

Kerry Carpenter

A Tigers player who hit a two-run homer.

Zach McKinstry

A Tigers player who hit a two-run homer.

Matt Vierling

A Tigers player who hit a two-run homer.

Gleyber Torres

A Tigers player who hit a solo homer.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

The Cardinals' loss to the Tigers in the rain-shortened game highlights the need for the team to regroup and bounce back in the remainder of the early-season series, as they look to overcome the challenges posed by the Tigers' powerful offense and their own starting pitching struggles.