ST. LOUIS — Michael Busch hit a three-run home run, Matt Shaw added a solo shot and an RBI triple and the Chicago Cubs routed the St. Louis Cardinals 9-1 on Saturday night.

After getting shut out 5-0 in Friday’s series opener, the Cubs built a six-run lead against Andre Pallante (6-9) by the second inning. Colin Rea (9-5) allowed one run in six innings, and Carson Kelly and Dansby Swanson each had three of the Cubs’ 13 hits.

The Cubs remained five games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers, who beat the New York Mets 7-4 for their eighth straight victory.

Busch set the tone by leading off the game with a double into the right-field corner, then scoring on Kyle Tucker’s RBI single. Tucker scored when right-fielder Jordan Walker’s throw got away from Willson Contreras, the cut-off man, on Kelly’s single.

In the second inning, Busch made it 5-0 by hitting his 22nd home run of the season — his sixth in eight games against the Cardinals this season.

Busch hit four home runs during a three-game stretch when the Cardinals visited Wrigley Field last month, but he had hit only three more in 25 games since.

Pallante allowed six runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings, his shortest outing in 53 career starts. He was pulled after Seiya Suzuki doubled and scored on Kelly’s RBI single.

Shaw tripled home Swanson in the third and added a 395-foot solo home run in the fifth that made it 9-0.

Lars Nootbaar doubled and scored the lone Cardinals run on Alec Burleson’s sixth-inning groundout.

The Cardinals played without All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan, a late scratch due to left groin tightness, and Contreras was removed from the game after an infield single in the sixth.

Key moment

After Pallante allowed a single to Swanson and walked Shaw despite getting ahead 0-2, catcher Yohel Pozo visited the mound. Busch drove Pallante’s next pitch 374 feet into the stands in right field for a 5-0 Cubs lead.

Key stat

Busch has six home runs in 34 at-bats against the Cardinals this season.

Originally Published: August 9, 2025 at 9:46 PM CDT