Nolan Gorman, Iván Herrera power Cardinals past Astros, 9-4

Gorman's three-run homer and Herrera's two-run shot lead St. Louis to victory over Houston.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 3:06am

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A fragmented, geometric painting featuring overlapping shapes and planes in a variety of bold colors, conceptually representing the action and excitement of a baseball game.A cubist interpretation of the key moments from the Cardinals' offensive outburst against the Astros, capturing the dynamic energy of the game.Houston Today

Nolan Gorman hit a three-run home run and Iván Herrera added a two-run shot to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 9-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night. The Cardinals led by a run with one out in the seventh when Alec Burleson doubled and Jordan Walker walked before Gorman's big blast. Herrera also connected off J.P. France with two outs in the eighth.

Why it matters

The win extends the Cardinals' winning streak to three games as they continue to battle in the competitive NL Central division. For the struggling Astros, the loss is their 10th in the last 12 games, as they try to regain their footing in the AL West.

The details

Masyn Winn drove in two runs and Walker extended his hitting streak to 12 games for the Cardinals. Christian Vázquez, Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve all hit solo homers for Houston, but the Astros couldn't get much else going offensively. St. Louis starter Kyle Leahy (2-2) went five innings, giving up five hits and three runs with six strikeouts. Houston's Peter Lambert (0-1) allowed seven hits and four runs in five innings in his first major league start this season.

  • The game was played on Friday, April 18, 2026.

The players

Nolan Gorman

A 26-year-old infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals who hit a key three-run home run in the seventh inning to help lead his team to victory.

Iván Herrera

A 24-year-old catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals who hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to provide insurance for the Cardinals.

Kyle Leahy

The starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, who went five innings and gave up three runs while striking out six.

Christian Vázquez

The Houston Astros' catcher who hit a solo home run in the third inning.

Yordan Alvarez

The Houston Astros' slugging outfielder who hit a solo home run, his eighth of the season, tying him for the major league lead.

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What’s next

The two teams will face off again on Saturday night, with Houston RHP Lance McCullers Jr. taking the mound against St. Louis RHP Andre Pallante.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the offensive firepower of the Cardinals, with Gorman and Herrera providing the key blows, while the Astros continue to search for consistency as they try to turn around their recent struggles.