Arenado and Donovan help the Cardinals beat the Astros 8-3

ST. LOUIS — Nolan Arenado homered and Brendan Donovan went 4 for 4, helping Sonny Gray and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 8-3 on Monday night.

Arenado also doubled twice and scored two runs in the opener of a three-game series. Donovan extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Gray (3-0) pitched seven scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one.

The Cardinals have won Gray's last eight home starts dating to last season.

Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (1-2) was tagged for seven runs — six earned — in four-plus innings. Five of the 10 hits he allowed were doubles.

Arenado hit a solo drive off Luis Contreras in the eighth. It was his second homer of the season.

The Cardinals broke it open with three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.

Donovan scored twice and drove in a run. He is batting an NL-high .391.

Houston's Jeremy Peña hit a three-run homer off Roddery Muñoz with two outs in the ninth.

Key moment

Arenado drove in the first run in the fifth. He fouled off four straight offerings in a 10-pitch at-bat before ripping an RBI double to left.

Key stat

Up next

Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (1-1, 2.00 ERA) starts on Tuesday night. Right-hander Erick Fedde (1-1, 4.50 ERA) makes his fourth start for the Cardinals.

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