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Standing in the box against Astros starter Ronel Blanco for a third time in the series finale at Busch Stadium, Nootbaar connected on a three-run home run that helped lift the Cardinals to a 4-1 win after they trailed 1-0 before Nootbaar stepped to the plate in the fifth inning.

An RBI double in the sixth inning from Thomas Saggese tacked on an additional run to get the Cardinals (9-9) back to .500 and give Steven Matz (1-0) a win after he threw five innings and allowed one run in his start.

A reliever through the first two weeks of the regular season, Matz struck out five batters and did not walk one on 71 pitches. Matz, who was said to be on a pitch count of around 65 pitches, didn’t allow a runner to reach base after giving up two singles to the first two batters he faced.

The lone run Matz allowed came on a groundout from Isaac Paredes in the first inning that scored Jose Altuve after Altuve and Jeremy Pena singled to begin the game.

Matz was relieved by Ryan Fernandez to begin the sixth inning. Fernandez completed a scoreless inning and was followed by scoreless innings from Kyle Leahy and Phil Maton. Closer Ryan Helsley, who hadn’t pitched in a week, secured his third save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.

A bunt, a bloop, and a blast

Silenced by Blanco through the first four innings, the Cardinals began the fifth inning with some small ball that set up a long ball.

To lead off the bottom of the fifth inning, Victor Scott II reached base with a bunt single on the first pitch he saw. Scott’s bunt rolled less than halfway up the third base line and sat on the chalk after Paredes allowed it to stop rolling in hopes that it would roll into foul territory.

A single into shallow right field from Saggese in the following at-bat put runners on first and third base just as the Cardinals' lineup wrapped around to leadoff hitter Nootbaar.

Facing Blanco for a third time after drawing walks in his first two plate appearances, Nootbaar took the first three pitches the right-hander offered him to put him in a 2-1 count. On the fourth pitch, an elevated curveball, Nootbaar belted a 418-foot line drive that sailed over center fielder Jake Meyers’ head and landed on the grass beyond the outfield wall for a homer that put the Cardinals ahead, 3-1.

Nootbaar’s three-run home run was his third of the year and his first since March 31. Nootbaar entered the series finale batting .235 with a .294 slugging percentage through 51 at-bats in April.

Another run added

With Blanco removed from his start after five innings, the Cardinals welcomed reliever Logan VanWey by pushing across a run vs. the right-hander before he could collect a second out in the inning.Ìý

Jordan Walker led off the bottom of the sixth inning by singling to right field in a 2-1 count after laying off a pair of sweepers that missed the strike zone. After right fielder Cam Smith dropped a pop fly Yohel Pozo hit into foul territory, Pozo capitalized on Smith’s error by lining a single to right field on the very next pitch to put runners on first and second base.

Batting with one out after Scott’s bunt attempt was popped up and caught by Paredes, Saggese capitalized on the scoring chance with a double to right field. In the at-bat, the rookie infielder, whom the Cardinals have looked to better control his strike zone, laid off an 0-2 fastball thrown high-and-away and followed that with a double to right field that scored Walker and moved Pozo to third base.

The Cardinals’ scoring threat ended with a lineout from Lars Nootbaar and a strikeout from Willson Contreras.

Matz settles down

Following the first inning run, Matz retired the next 15 batters he faced before he was replaced at the start of the sixth inning by Fernandez. Matz induced four groundouts and five flyouts with a repertoire that featured 41 sinkers and 21 changeups.Ìý

Although Matz got just one whiff on his changeup and three in total, the lefty’s changeup kept Astros hitters to an average exit velocity of 84.4 mph, per Statcast.

He was aided on defense in the fifth inning by Alec Burleson.Ìý

Making a start at first base with Willson Contreras at the designated hitter spot, Burleson showed some range on a diving grab in the fifth inning on a ball Meyers grounded with a 104.4 mph exit velocity. Burleson’s clean snag and Matz’s footwork to tag first base as he raced up the line secured an out on the second-hardest hit ball Matz allowed to the Astros.

Matz’s start came after he made five relief appearances before being inserted into the rotation, with Wednesday planned as the day he’d do so. During his relief role, Matz held a 2.31 ERA in 11 2/3 innings.

Donovan keeps streakingÌý

A single from Brendan Donovan in the fifth inning after Nootbaar homered extended Donovan’s current hitting streak to a career-high 12 consecutive games. The hit streak leads all active major league hitters.Ìý

During the 12-game hit streak, which began on April 4 with a three-hit performance at Fenway Park, Donovan is batting .478 Ìýin 46Ìýat-bats.