The St. Louis Cardinals overcame a one-run deficit and beat the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on Sunday, September 13 at Busch Stadium, with Michael McGreevy earning the win and Alec Burleson supplying all three RBI in a complete team effort. McGreevy kept Chicago's offense in check for six innings while the Cardinals' bats found just enough life to flip the game and hold on through nine. It's the kind of gritty Sunday afternoon win that matters in the final weeks of the regular season, and the Cardinals earned it the hard way.

Michael McGreevy Delivers Quality Start in Cardinals Win

McGreevy was sharp when it counted. The right-hander went six full innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out six and walking three. He did enough damage control to keep St. Louis in the game and give the bullpen a realistic path to the finish line.

Gordon Graceffo was the story out of the bullpen. He came on and was flat-out dominant — two perfect innings, three strikeouts, zero hits, zero walks. That's the kind of high-leverage relief appearance that changes a game's complexion. Graceffo slammed the door on any Chicago momentum and handed George Soriano a three-run lead to protect in the ninth.

Soriano's save wasn't without drama. He allowed a hit and two walks in the ninth before finishing it off, but he got the job done. The final line: 1.0 IP, one hit, two walks, no runs. Not clean, but it counts.

Alec Burleson Provides All the Offense St. Louis Needed

On a day when White Sox pitching was genuinely tough — David Sandlin held the Cardinals to two hits over 5.2 scoreless innings, striking out five — it took a comeback to get this one done. The Cardinals trailed before Burleson stepped up and changed everything.

Burleson finished 1-for-3 with three RBI. That single line tells the whole story of St. Louis's offense on Sunday. He didn't need a big hit parade — he needed one productive moment, and he delivered it in a spot that mattered. Nathan Church added some support with a 2-for-3 afternoon, getting on base and keeping the lineup moving, though he didn't factor into the run column directly.

Turning Point: Cardinals Overcome Early Deficit

The metadata on this game tells you what you need to know: this was a comeback win, with St. Louis overcoming a one-run deficit. With Sandlin and Chris Murphy combining for 7.0 innings, 9 strikeouts, and zero earned runs allowed, the Cardinals had to find their runs in a tight window. When they finally broke through against Chicago's pitching, Burleson was the catalyst — and Graceffo's dominant two-inning stretch kept the lead intact long enough for Soriano to close it out.

Cardinals Pitching Lines vs. White Sox Pitching Lines

  • Michael McGreevy (W): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
  • Gordon Graceffo: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
  • George Soriano (SV): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
  • David Sandlin (L): 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
  • Chris Murphy: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
  • Trevor Richards: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

What's Next for the Cardinals

St. Louis picks up a series win at Busch Stadium and keeps moving through the final stretch of the 2026 regular season. This was the kind of game you need to win — close, contested, and earned against pitching that made you work for every run. The Cardinals found a way, and that's all that goes in the books.