The St. Louis Cardinals needed something special to keep their fading playoff hopes alive, and Ivan Herrera delivered. In a tense matchup at Busch Stadium, the 25-year-old designated hitter launched a decisive two-run homer that carried St. Louis to a 2–1 victory over the visiting Oakland Athletics.
Runs were scarce in the contest, with Luis Severino and Miles Mikolas trading strong outings from the mound. The Athletics struck first in the third inning, only for the Cardinals to turn the tide in the sixth when Herrera sent a Michael Kelly slider 414 feet into the stands, swinging momentum firmly in St. Louis’ favor.
The moment not only secured a crucial win but also tied Herrera with Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber for the most go-ahead home runs in the sixth inning or later this season in the National League. For Herrera, the feat underscored his growing reputation as a reliable late-game performer.
What did Herrera say after the big swing?
“I don’t know, I’m just trying to hit the ball hard,” Herrera admitted postgame, via MLB.com’s John Denton. “If I’m hitting [home runs] in the late innings, that’s good, right? Helping the team win, that’s what I want to do at the end of the day.”
Herrera, who homered in back-to-back games, now boasts 13 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a .287/.368/.450 slash line on the season. His consistency has been vital in giving the Cardinals chances to claw their way back into contention.
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Why the timing matters for St. Louis
The Cardinals entered Tuesday with a 69–71 record, trailing 16.5 games in the NL Central and 6.5 games out of the Wild Card race. Wins like this one, powered by clutch swings, are essential for a team still clinging to postseason aspirations.
“This means a lot because all we care about is winning, and that [homer] put us in a really good position to win the game,” Herrera said. “We got Miles a win because he pitched really good today. I want to help him as much as I can.”
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As St. Louis turns to the series finale against Oakland, Herrera’s bat has become a symbol of late-season resilience for a club still fighting to extend its year beyond 162 games.
