Yohel Pozo's walk-off single lifts the Cardinals over the Reds 6-5 on June 22, 2025. Nolan Arenado's 9th-inning homer forced extras in a thrilling comeback.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought you'd seen it all, Busch Stadium delivered another heart-pounding classic. The St. Louis Cardinals, refusing to go quietly into the night, stormed back from a late deficit to stun the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 in a wild 11-inning affair, capped by a walk-off single from the unlikely hero, Yohel Pozo.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to a remarkable 6-2 in extra-inning games this season, proving once again they thrive when the pressure is highest.
Down 5-2 heading into the late innings, the situation looked bleak. But this team has a flair for the dramatic. Alec Burleson kept the hope alive with a two-run homer, and just when it seemed the Reds might escape, Nolan Arenado led off the ninth inning by launching a game-tying solo shot off Emilio Pagán. The blast sent the game to extras, where Phil Maton pitched a crucial scoreless 11th, setting the stage for Pozo. With two outs, Pozo laced a single to bring home the winning run, sending the sellout crowd into a frenzy.
While Pozo got the final glory, Alec Burleson's fingerprints were all over this win. He continued his scorching month with a two-run homer and an RBI single, accounting for three of the team's six runs. 'Burly' has now hit safely in 14 of his 16 games in June, boosting his season batting average to an impressive .323. He's become one of the most reliable bats in the lineup and a key driver of the offense.
The game wasn't without its strange moments, most of them centered on Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz. After vomiting on the field in the fourth inning, De La Cruz somehow stayed in the game and proceeded to mash his 17th homer of the year, a 435-foot monster. However, the Cardinals got a measure of revenge later when he tripled and tried to score on an errant relay. In a heads-up play, pitcher Sonny Gray backed up the plate and fired a strike to nab him, a crucial out that kept the game within reach.
Away from the field, the focus turned to the future with a deep dive into the farm system from Baseball America. The report acknowledged recent organizational struggles but highlighted the potential impact of new executive Chaim Bloom and a revamped pitching development philosophy. Keep an eye on names like Victor Scott II and JJ Wetherholt, who represent the next wave of talent working its way toward St. Louis.
After a game that had everything, the Cardinals have a chance to ride this wave of emotion into Sunday's rubber match. They'll send Miles Mikolas to the mound to face the Reds' tough lefty Andrew Abbott. With momentum firmly on their side, a series win is well within their grasp.
