Nolan Arenado hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs as the Cardinals rallied from an early three-run deficit for a 12-9 win on Sunday afternoon for the first three-game sweep of the Yankees in St. Louis’ storied history.
The Cardinals swept the rival Cubs and the Yankees on the six-game homestand and won for a seventh straight time. Combined with the Brewers’ home loss to the Reds, St. Louis leads the NL Central by 1 1/2 games.
Paul DeJong, the hero of Friday’s comeback victory over the Yankees, drilled a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning off New York’s Scott Effross to give the Cardinals plenty of cushion. Since returning last week from a 2 1/2-month stint in Triple-A, DeJong has three home runs, three doubles and 10 RBIs.
The game lasted four hours and 25 minutes — the longest nine-inning game in MLB this season. It was also the longest nine-inning game in the history of the current Busch Stadium, which opened in 2006.
Arenado, who came into the game hitting .438 with two home runs and four RBIs in seven August games, went 3-for-5. The Cardinals had 11 hits, including two apiece from DeJong and Dylan Carlson.