Victor Scott II and Pedro Pages hit three-run homers as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the visiting Minnesota Twins 9-2 Sunday afternoon to complete their three-game sweep.

Nolan Gorman went 3-for-4 with a homer and three runs for the Cardinals, who outscored the Twins 19-6 in the series. Alec Burleson added a two-run double to that attack.

St. Louis starter Andre Pallante (1-0) allowed two runs on four hits before a rain delay ended his outing after five innings. Pallante struck out three batters and walked two.

Steven Matz took over for Pallante when play resumed. He blanked the Twins for four innings to earn his first career save.

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol earned his 250th career victory.

Willi Castro went 2-for-4 with a homer and a double for the Twins.

Twins starter Bailey Ober (0-1) allowed eight runs on eight hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings.

Minnesota took a quick 1-0 lead. Matt Wallner walked leading off the game, then he moved up on a groundout and scored on Byron Buxton’s blooped single into left field.

Ober overcame wildness while working out of trouble in the bottom of the inning. He walked Lars Nootbaar leading off and walked Brendan Donovan with one out.

After advancing the runners with a wild pitch, Ober struck out Arenado and retired Burleson on a popout.

The Cardinals surged ahead 3-1 in the second inning. Gorman led off with a single, Pages followed with a ground-rule double and Scott smacked his three-run homer into the right field bullpen.

St. Louis blew the game open in the third inning. Donovan hit a leadoff single and moved to third on Arenado’s double.

Burleson hit a two-run double and moved to third on Gorman’s single. Pages followed with his three-run homer to increase the lead to 8-1.

Castro’s fourth-inning homer cut the Twins’ deficit to 8-2.

Gorman’s seventh-inning homer made it 9-2.

–Field Level Media