Yandy Díaz has career-high 5 hits, drives in 4 runs as Rays beat Cardinals 11-7 behind Steven Matz

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Yandy Díaz singled four times, doubled and drove in four runs, and Steven Matz notched the victory against his former team as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-7 on Sunday to avoid a season-opening sweep.

Jonathan Aranda added three hits and two RBIs, and Cedric Mullins also drove in two as the top three in the Rays’ lineup combined for nine hits and eight RBIs.

Díaz, Aranda and Mullins strung together consecutive two-out RBI doubles against Dustin May (0-1) in the fourth inning to push Tampa Bay’s lead to 6-1. The Rays tacked on three runs in the eighth off Matthew Pushard in his big league debut, and Díaz had an infield RBI single in the ninth to match his career best with five hits.

Jordan Walker, Nolan Gorman and Pedro Pagés homered for St. Louis.

Matz (1-0) was making his first start since September 2024, when he lost his spot in the Cardinals’ rotation and got moved to the bullpen. He was traded to Boston in July and then signed with the Rays in the offseason.

Matz pitched five innings and gave up four runs on six hits, including a three-run homer by Walker. In the eighth, Gorman hit a solo shot and Pagés a two-run drive to cut the deficit to 9-7.

May lasted only four innings in his Cardinals debut, giving up six runs on 10 hits. He struck out three and gave up walk.

It was a breakthrough for the Rays, who had managed only one extra-base hit in their first two games despite racking up 23 singles. That was the most singles for any major league team in their first two games since at least 1900.

Up next

Rays RHP Nick Martinez and Brewers LHP Kyle Harrison will each making their first start for their new teams Monday at Milwaukee.

Cardinals RHP Kyle Leahy, who moved from the bullpen after starting the final game of 2025, starts Monday against Mets RHP Clay Holmes.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb