Sean Murphy's two homers powered the Braves to a 6-5 win over the Cardinals on July 12, 2025. Despite a late rally, St. Louis falls in a heartbreaker.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night of long balls and what-ifs at Busch Stadium, as the St. Louis Cardinals clawed back but ultimately fell short in a 6-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves. A late-night thriller that bled into Saturday's news cycle saw the Cardinals' rally snuffed out, largely thanks to a historic power display from Braves catcher Sean Murphy, leaving St. Louis to regroup for the rest of the weekend series.
The Braves' victory marked their 1,000th all-time win against the Cardinals, though St. Louis still leads the all-time series by 106 games.
The game was defined by the Braves' offensive onslaught against starter Matthew Liberatore, who endured a brutal outing. Libby was tagged for six runs on ten hits in just three innings, watching his record fall to 6-7. The primary damage came from Sean Murphy, who launched two mammoth home runs measuring 437 and 440 feet—the two longest at Busch this season. Despite the early hole, the Cardinals' offense showed signs of life. A three-run third inning, sparked by a clutch two-out, bases-loaded single from Pedro Pagés and an RBI single from Victor Scott II, brought the team back into the fight. Alec Burleson and Willson Contreras also chipped in with RBIs, but the comeback stalled, leaving the tying run stranded.
As the MLB trade deadline on July 31 inches closer, the Cardinals' front office remained silent on Saturday. No roster moves, injury updates, or trade rumors surfaced, creating a sense of calm before the potential storm. With manager Oliver Marmol and head of baseball operations Chaim Bloom holding steady, the pressure remains on the current squad to perform. This period of inactivity puts the focus squarely on the players in the clubhouse to turn close losses into wins.
While the big-league club nurses its wounds, the future of the organization takes center stage this weekend. The MLB Draft begins Sunday, and top prospects are in the spotlight. Though no Cardinals were reported to be in Saturday's All-Star Futures Game, the farm system is buzzing with talent. Names like 2024 first-round pick JJ Wetherholt, one of the minors' most potent hitters, along with promising arms like Quinn Mathews and Tink Hence, offer a bright glimpse of what's to come, providing a dose of long-term optimism amidst the day-to-day grind.
The sting of a one-run loss to a rival always hurts, but the beauty of baseball is the chance for immediate redemption. All eyes now turn to Erick Fedde, who takes the mound with the task of evening the series and giving the Cardinals a much-needed boost. Beyond tonight's game, the weekend serves as a reminder of the bigger picture, with the MLB Draft and a promising farm system offering a glimpse of the talent on the horizon. It's a pivotal stretch for the Birds, both on the field and in the front office.
