Cardinals Rookie Hits 2 Homers After 'Not Knowing Score

When Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt stepped up to bat in the eighth inning Tuesday night, he had no idea his team was trailing. That mental calm might have been exactly what he needed.

The 23-year-old smashed a two-run homer that brought St. Louis roaring back to life, capping his first career multi-homer game in a thrilling 6-5 comeback win over Cleveland. "Going into that at-bat, I honestly don't even think I really knew the score," Wetherholt said with a laugh. "When I'm rounding the bases, I'm like, 'Oh, shoot. Now it's a close game.'"

The breakout performance came at the perfect time for the team's top prospect, who had struggled through a 7-for-41 stretch since early April. His first homer, a laser shot in the third inning, left his bat at over 106 mph. The second sailed over the opposite-field wall on a 99 mph rocket.

Between the homers, Wetherholt made a leaping catch that had the opposing batter shaking his head in disbelief from just 10 feet away. Starting pitcher Michael McGreevy couldn't help but share a "wow" moment with him.

Why This Inspires

Wetherholt's approach shows the power of staying present instead of feeling pressure. By focusing on the process rather than the stakes, he turned a frustrating slump into his best game as a pro. His performance sparked the entire team, leading to their seventh comeback win of the season and keeping them perfect in extra innings.

Manager Oliver Marmol praised his young star's work ethic through the tough stretch. "It's good to see him doing it against two lefties, too," Marmol said, noting the added challenge.

Sometimes the best way to handle pressure is to forget it exists entirely.