Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar celebrates with Jordan Walker after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Twins on Thursday, March 27, 2025, opening day at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
The Cardinals sparked the season the way they wanted with runs created by their new leadoff hitter and runs robbed by their young center fielder, but by the late innings, it took something strikingly familiar to ice an opening day victory.
Holding fast to a slim lead — just like so many of the nail-biter games a year ago — that’s how closer Ryan Helsley began the encore of his record-setting 49-save season.
After Game 1, he has one.
Delivered a lead by new setup men Chris Roycroft and Phil Maton, Helsley sped through the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning to secure a 5-3 victory Thursday evening at Busch Stadium. An opener delayed an hour and 38 minutes by rain ended swiftly with Helsley spinning a 90 mph slider past the potential tying run at the plate.
Lars Nootbaar launched the Cardinals to an early lead with his second-inning homer, and Nolan Arenado provided cushion for Helsley with a solo homer in the eighth. Coaxed out of the dugout for a curtain call, Arenado — the subject of trade talks all winter — cupped his hand to his ear to encourage more from the sellout crowd of 47,395.
Before Arenado’s homer, Roycroft and Maton, the only newcomer on the Cardinals roster, preserved a one-run lead through the seventh and eighth innings. As a duo, the right-handers retired six of the seven batters they faced.
Right-hander Sonny Gray ditched a rocky spring with five strong innings and six strikeouts to go 3-0 in his career in four opening day starts.
As the Cardinals begin their 134th season in the National League and 20th at their current ballpark, they improved to 38-33 when hosting a game on Major League Baseball’s opening day.
They are the only NL Central team to win its opener in 2025.
Start ’em up
Leadoff hitter Nootbaar staked the Cardinals to an early lead with a single in the first to spark a rally, then a home run in the second to power one. The outfield scored or drove home the Cardinals’ first three runs against Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez. Nootbaar also short-circuited the starter briefly by boldly taking off from first base in the first inning to coax a balk.
The liner off his bat to start the game, the eagerness to take an offered base and the ability to score from second on a single — all elements the Cardinals want in their offense.
Three singles in the first inning fizzled into one run, however, because of the specter of last year’s troubles: providing thump with runners in scoring position. So Nootbaar did that, too. In the second inning, Jordan Walker singled, forced an error when he tried to steal second and advanced to third on a ground ball. That was his view when Nootbaar sent a change-up beyond the right field wall for a 3-0 lead.
Ivan Herrera widened the lead in the third before the Twins began nibbling away.
Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado flaps his wings into the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Twins on opening day Thursday, March 27, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Sonny side up
A few days removed from flu-like symptoms and the funk that followed him through spring, Gray had a succinct answer for how he would compete if he still did not have his velocity.
“You just pitch,” he said. “You just pitch. Being a pitcher.”
It didn’t take long for Gray to show how without speed from his hand he had plenty sleight of hand. Gray retired the Twins in order on six pitches in the first inning. The hardest-hit ball was tracked down in right field by Walker.
Gray got the first of his six strikeouts for the second out of the game, and a popup ended the first.
In spring, Gray allowed 20 runs in 14⅓ innings, being peppered eight home runs allowed and 17 strikeouts collected into those eventful innings. He had games where he had to exit innings that got too busy and reenter after a reliever had tidied it up.
There would be no spring-loaded escape hatch Thursday.
Unbeaten in his previous three opening day starts, Gray bopped around two singles and a walk in the second inning to keep the Twins scoreless because he was able to slip a sweeping slider past Jose Miranda to regain control of the inning with the bases loaded around him. In the fourth, Gray struck out the Twins in order, getting the first two on sinkers before delivering the sweeper to punctuate the inning. Gray began the fifth with three consecutive curveballs to strike out Willi Castro.
The Cardinals starter did not have a pitch zip faster than 92 mph, but what he did was offer up a variety of pitches at similar speeds with different movements. He got 12 swings and misses, and his sinker, four-seam and cutter all left his fingers in the 88 to 91 mph range. That blurred how some of his pitches registered by Statcast — making it just as confused as a hitters.
It wasn’t until the fifth that a Twin connected with any authority.
Bader breaks it up
The swing that did it came from the player who got one of the loudest ovations of the day.
Back in St. Louis with a new team, Harrison Bader started in left field and batted ninth for Minnesota. The last of the players introduced from either team Thursday, Bader received a hearty ovation from the Busch crowd. With a chance to crack Gray’s scoreless start, Bader popped out in the second inning. With another chance in the fifth, Bader didn’t miss. His two-run homer into the seats beyond left field cleaved the Cardinals lead in half.
Defense held firm between the Twins and a tie game.
Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II snags a line drive by Ty France of the Twins in the sixth inning Thursday, March 27, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Sprinting Scott catches up
Hours earlier, John Mozeliak mentioned that entering spring he did not expect Victor Scott II to break with the team, and even with seven days remaining in camp, he would not have seen Scott on the opening day active roster. The second-year speedster changed all that with his performance and lively action at the plate, but Mozeliak casually referenced another factor Scott brought to the Cardinals’ choice for center field.
“Elite defense,” Mozeliak said.
A snazzy double play started by Brendan Donovan at second ended the fifth inning for Gray without giving up another run. With Gray out of the game, the sixth could have gone sideways if not for a gem from Scott. Twins first baseman Ty France tagged a line drive that left his bat at 101.8 mph into the right-center gap. The expected average of such a hit was .570 — but it plummeted to zero when Scott, at full speed, lunged out to snare the ball before hitting the warning track.
The catch saved a run for reliever Kyle Leahy and that proved essential for later in the inning, when a two-out single cut the Cardinals lead down to one run.
Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar celebrates with Jordan Walker after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Twins on Thursday, March 27, 2025, opening day at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals outfielders Lars Nootbaar, left, Victor Scott II and Michael Siani celebrate a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado flaps his wings into the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Twins on opening day Thursday, March 27, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Nolan Arenado is congratulated in the dugout by Lars Nootbaar after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker is welcomed by first baseman Willson Contreras during team introductions before playing the Minnesota Twins on opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Nolan Arenado flies out against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado prepares to take the field against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray works the first inning against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Lars Nootbaar flaps his wings after hitting a single against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, center, is welcomed by team Chairman Bill DeWitt, Jr., right, and President Bill DeWitt III before playing the club’s opening day game against the Twins on Thursday, March 27, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Lars Nootbaar scores the first run of the year against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray heads back to the mound after giving up a two-run home run to Harrison Bader of the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray and catcher Ivan Herrera confer at the mound in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray is congratulated by catcher Ivan Herrera after retiring the side in the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras sets for the ball against the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning of opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray strikes out his second batter of the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Leahy works the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II snags a line drive by Ty France of the Twins in the sixth inning Thursday, March 27, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II snags a line drive by Ty France of the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher John King works the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals short stop Masyn Winn congratulates second baseman Brendan Donovan, right, after Donovan stopped a ground ball hit by Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins for the first out of a double play in the fifth inning during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryan Helsley celebrates a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Phil Maton works during a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals outfielders Victor Scott II, left, Lars Nootbaar and Michael Siani celebrate a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Chris Roycroft works the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan handles a ground ball hit by Minnesota Twins Carlos Correa to end the top of the seventh inning during opening day at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 27, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
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