The Baltimore Orioles dismantled the St. Louis Cardinals 13-1 at Busch Stadium on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, in a dominant nine-inning performance that was never close. Pete Alonso led the Baltimore attack with a perfect 4-for-4 night, including a home run and four RBI, while Chris Bassitt cruised through 6.2 innings allowing just one earned run on six hits. Matthew Liberatore took the loss after surrendering eight earned runs on eight hits over four innings. Nathan Church provided the Cardinals' lone bright spot with a solo home run.

Pete Alonso and Christian Encarnacion-Strand Carry Baltimore Offense

Baltimore came out swinging and never let up. Alonso was the headliner, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI — a performance that single-handedly buried any Cardinals comeback hopes. Christian Encarnacion-Strand added two hits, a home run, and three RBI in five at-bats, giving the Orioles a one-two punch that Liberatore simply could not contain.

Jackson Holliday contributed a 3-for-6 night with an RBI, working deep into the Cardinals' bullpen. Leody Taveras and Dylan Beavers each went 2-for-their-respective-at-bats and drove in two runs apiece, spreading the damage across the entire Baltimore lineup. By the time the Cardinals turned to relief pitching, the game was well out of hand.

Liberatore Roughed Up, Bullpen Struggles Early

Liberatore's night was one to forget. The left-hander lasted four innings, giving up eight hits and eight earned runs while striking out seven. The strikeout total shows he was generating swings and misses, but Baltimore made him pay dearly for every mistake in the zone.

The bullpen situation got worse before it got better. Peter Strzelecki entered and recorded just one out, allowing four hits, a walk, and four earned runs in a third of an inning. Caleb Ferguson provided 1.2 innings of more respectable work — three strikeouts, two hits, one earned run — and Ryan Fernandez was the cleanest arm of the night, tossing two scoreless innings on one hit with two strikeouts. Pedro Pagés closed out the ninth.

Bassitt Shuts Down Cardinals Lineup

On the other side, Chris Bassitt was sharp and efficient. The right-hander went 6.2 innings, striking out five, walking nobody, and allowing just one earned run on six hits. Yennier Cano bridged the gap with a clean third of an inning, and Anthony Nunez was dominant in relief — five strikeouts over two innings on just one hit. The Cardinals had no answer for Baltimore's pitching after the early innings.

Nathan Church Provides the Lone Highlight

With the Cardinals trailing badly, Nathan Church gave the Busch Stadium crowd something to cheer about, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an RBI. It was the only run St. Louis managed all night, but Church's night stood out as the one positive individual performance in an otherwise difficult box score.

Cardinals Offensive Highlights

  • Nathan Church: 2-for-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Orioles Offensive Highlights

  • Pete Alonso: 4-for-4, 1 HR, 4 RBI
  • Christian Encarnacion-Strand: 2-for-5, 1 HR, 3 RBI
  • Jackson Holliday: 3-for-6, 1 RBI
  • Dylan Beavers: 2-for-4, 2 RBI
  • Leody Taveras: 2-for-5, 2 RBI

What's Next for the Cardinals

St. Louis will need to bounce back quickly. A 12-run loss at home is a tough one to absorb at any point in the regular season. The pitching staff will need to regroup, and the offense — held to a single run against Bassitt and Baltimore's bullpen — will need to find answers. The Cardinals continue their home series against Baltimore, and Tuesday's result makes Wednesday's game all the more important.