Walker, Church and Burleson hit homers and Cardinals ride 7-run 7th inning to 11-5 win over Braves

[July 03, 2026]  ATLANTA (AP) — Jordan Walker homered and drove in four runs, Nathan Church hit a tying two-run homer in a seven-run seventh inning and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves 11-5 on Thursday night.
 
The Braves led 5-3 before the Cardinals rallied in the seventh. After Church's homer off Tyler Kinley (4-3), JJ Wetherholt's run-scoring single off Dylan Lee gave St. Louis the lead. Walker added a run-scoring single in the big inning.

St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker, right, reacts after hitting a three-run home run against Atlanta Braves pitcher Hurston Waldrep in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 2, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Alec Burleson homered in the ninth and Masyn Winn had three hits and a walk for St. Louis.

Right-hander Gordon Graceffo (6-1) pitched a scoreless sixth as St. Louis won two of three in the series. The Cardinals gave manager Oliver Marmol a win on his 40th birthday.

Dominic Smith drove in three runs with a double in Atlanta's five-run first inning.

Smith's liner bounced of St. Louis right-hander Dustin May's right ankle and down the right-field line. May gave up two more singles before leaving the game. He allowed five runs while recording only two outs.

The Cardinals said May suffered a contusion to his ankle.

Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep gave up a three-run home run to Walker in the first inning and allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings in his first major league start since last September against Washington. Waldrep missed the start of the season while recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.

Atlanta shortstop Jim Jarvis had one hit following his recall from Triple-A Gwinnett, Veteran first baseman Rowdy Tellez was designated for assignment.

Up next
Cardinals: RHP Andre Pallante (9-5, 3.83 ERA) was scheduled to start when St. Louis opens a weekend series at the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Braves: Atlanta opens a four-game home series against the New York Mets. RHP Grant Holmes (4-4, 3.96) was scheduled to face Mets RHP Christian Scott (2-0, 3.20).

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