Willson Contreras's clutch RBI double led the Cardinals to a 4-3 win over the Diamondbacks on July 18, 2025. See how Gray and Donovan also starred in the win.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
In a game that felt like a microcosm of their season—a hard-fought, nail-biting affair—the St. Louis Cardinals found a way to win. It took a clutch hit, a bend-but-don't-break pitching performance, and a little bit of power, but the Cards left Chase Field on Friday night with a crucial 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, keeping their NL Central hopes alive.
Willson Contreras delivered the decisive blow in the 7th inning, lacing an RBI double to drive in his 55th run of the season and break a 3-3 tie.
When the Cardinals needed a big hit, it was once again Willson Contreras stepping up. With the game knotted at three in the seventh, Contreras smoked a double to plate the go-ahead run, his team-leading 55th RBI of the year. It's the kind of late-game magic fans have come to expect from the veteran backstop. But the table was set, as it so often is, by Brendan Donovan. The versatile sparkplug went 2-for-4, nudging his batting average to a stellar .297 and consistently igniting the offense from the leadoff spot. Add in a third-inning solo shot from Lars Nootbaar, and you have the recipe for just enough offense on a tough night.
Sonny Gray didn't have his sharpest stuff, but he gave the Cardinals exactly what they needed: a chance to win. The ace battled through six innings, surrendering three runs but keeping his team in the game and racking up seven strikeouts along the way. It was a gutsy performance that handed a slim lead to the bullpen. And when the 9th inning rolled around, there was no doubt who would get the ball. Ryan Helsley was electric, shutting down the D-Backs with ease to lock down his 28th save of the season, further cementing his status as one of baseball's elite closers.
While the win improves the Cardinals' record to 51-46, they remain 6.5 games back in the division, highlighting the importance of every single game. With no roster moves announced, it's clear the front office has faith in this current group to make a run. That confidence is bolstered by what's happening down on the farm. Following the recent draft, the Cardinals' farm system is being lauded as one of the best in MLB. With top prospect JJ Wetherholt tearing it up in Triple-A and pitchers like Quinn Mathews and Tink Hence on the rise, the future in St. Louis looks incredibly bright, even as the big-league club battles for a spot in the postseason today.
This was the kind of victory that can build momentum. One win doesn't make a season, but this gritty performance on the road shows the fight this team has. Now, the Cardinals must carry this energy into the rest of the weekend series against Arizona and continue to chip away at that division lead. The path forward is tough, but as Friday proved, this team has the key players and the grit to get it done.
