Opening day festivities were delayed by two hours in St Louis, but the Cardinals made the wait at Busch Stadium worthwhile as they held on for a 5-3 win on Thursday, March 27 over the Minnesota Twins.

The Redbirds plated three runs in the second, capped by a Lars Nootbaar two-run home run to right field. The home run came after Cardinals starter Sonny Gray got out of a based-loaded jam in the top half of the inning by striking out Jose Miranda and getting former Cardinal Harrison Bader to pop out in foul territory. The Cardinals added a run in the third off an Iván Herrera single, but Bader would get back at his former team in the fifth when he lined a two-run home run to left field to make the score 4-2. The Twins added an RBI double in the sixth, but the Cardinals would not lose the lead, as Nolan Arenado tacked on an insurance run in the eighth with a solo home run.

Sonny Gray went five innings for the win, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out six. Last season’s NL Reliever of the Year Ryan Helsley picked up his first save of the year, striking out all three batters he faced in the ninth. Pablo López claimed the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits in five innings of work, striking out three.

The Cardinals will have Friday off before continuing their series against the Twins on Saturday. First pitch Saturday afternoon is at 1:15 p.m., with Erick Fedde getting the start for the Cardinals, while the Twins are expected to send Joe Ryan to the bump.