JJ Wetherholt homered in each of the first two innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Kansas City Royals 12-10 at Kauffman Stadium, turning the I-70 Series opener into a rookie-led slugfest.
MLB.com reported that Wetherholt, a 23-year-old infielder from West Virginia and the No. 7 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, delivered the first multihomer game of his major league career while starting in the leadoff spot for only the second time.
Wetherholt Sets The Tone Early
Wetherholt led off the first inning with a home run and added another solo shot in the second. The Cardinals used him at the top of the order with Nolan Gorman out because of back tightness, and the move changed the shape of the game almost immediately.
According to MLB.com, Wetherholt became the first Cardinals leadoff hitter since Matt Carpenter in 2018 to homer in each of the first two innings. He also became the club's first rookie leadoff batter since Kolten Wong in 2014 to hit home runs in both of the opening two frames.
The swings gave Wetherholt his first two home runs at Kauffman Stadium and pushed St. Louis into a game that never really slowed down. The Cardinals' first four hitters combined to go 7-for-22 with five home runs and 10 RBIs.
Cardinals Outlast Royals Damage
Jordan Walker also hit two home runs for St. Louis, and Ivan Herrera added a three-run shot in the first inning. Kansas City kept answering through Bobby Witt Jr., who homered twice and drove in five runs, with Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez also part of the Royals' push.
The box score was heavy everywhere: MLB.com counted 14 pitchers, 22 runs, 36 hits, eight home runs and 16 walks. That made Wetherholt's early production more than a quick highlight; it supplied St. Louis with the margin it needed in a game full of counterpunches.
The verified core is straightforward: Wetherholt produced a career-first multihomer game, tied a Cardinals leadoff feat last matched by Carpenter, and helped St. Louis hold off Kansas City in a 12-10 rivalry win.