Iván Herrera hits 3 home runs to help Cardinals beat Angels 12-5

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Iván Herrera hit three home runs to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Angels 12-5 on Wednesday.

Herrera hit his third home run of the game, and of the season, off Brock Burke to cap a seven-run eighth inning for the Cardinals. Herrera hit a two-run homer in the sixth, and a solo shot in the fourth off Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi to give him his first career multi-home run game.

Willson Contreras drew a bases-loaded walk off Burke to break a 5-5 tie after Ian Anderson (0-1) allowed three straight hits to open the bottom of the eighth inning.

Contreras stroked an RBI double to left field for his first hit of the season to score Masyn Winn, and Lars Nootbaar scored on shortstop Nicky Lopez’s errant throw to tie the game at 5-all in the bottom of the seventh.

Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe hit his second home run of the season and second career grand slam off Sonny Gray in the top of the seventh.

Gray allowed five runs on five hits and hit a batter while striking out nine in six-plus innings.

JoJo Romero (1-1) recorded the final four outs for the Cardinals.

Kikuchi allowed three runs on four hits and five walks and struck out six.

Mike Trout hit his first home run of the season in the first inning to give the Angels a 1-0 lead.

After Jordan Walker led off the eighth inning with a single, Victor Scott II and Winn reached base on bunt singles to load the bases for Contreras.

Herrera is the first catcher in Cardinals history to hit three homers in a game.

RHP José Soriano (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will start the Angels’ home opener against Cleveland and RHP Gavin Williams (0-0, 3.60 ERA) Friday night.

RHP Erick Fedde (1-0, 1.50 ERA) is slated to oppose RHP Walker Buehler (0-1, 8.31 ERA) on Friday in Boston.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II misses the catch on a home run hit by Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II misses the catch on a home run hit by Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, right, celebrates with third base coach Eric Young Sr. after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, right, celebrates with third base coach Eric Young Sr. after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

Iván Herrera hits 3 home runs to help Cardinals beat Angels 12-5

Iván Herrera hits 3 home runs to help Cardinals beat Angels 12-5

St. Louis Cardinals' Iván Herrera is congratulated in the dugout by teammates after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

St. Louis Cardinals' Iván Herrera is congratulated in the dugout by teammates after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)

PARIS (AP) — When Aston Villa coach Unai Emery returns to Parc des Princes for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, it may stir up some difficult memories for him.

In contrast, Villa's on-loan forward Marcus Rashford will doubtless recall one of his happiest soccer experiences.

For Villa defender Lucas Digne and attacking midfielder Marco Asensio, the trip could be a case of mixed feelings.

Emery was PSG's coach for one of the biggest humiliations in Champions League history.

That was eight years ago, when PSG faced Barcelona in the Round of 16 and became the first team in Champions League history to throw away a 4-0 lead from the first leg, losing 6-1 in the return.

PSG then lost the Ligue 1 title to Kylian Mbappé's Monaco.

A few months later, PSG spent 422 million euros (then $456 million) during the offseason to buy Neymar from Barcelona and Mbappé in a stunning double swoop.

But even they could not save Emery.

He left at the end of the following season after two difficult years during which PSG went out twice in the last 16 of the Champions League, but he also made his mark as a coach willing to stand up to player power.

“It was a difficult time,” Emery said. “For the team to adapt to me and for me to adapt to the team.”

Villa seems to have adapted very well to his methods. The Birmingham-based club is on a seven-game winning run heading into its first quarterfinal in the competition since 1983.

Emery, who has won the Europa League a record four times as a coach, guided unheralded Villarreal to the Champions League semifinals in 2022.

The season after Emery's departure, PSG experienced another Champions League blow.

On that occasion, it was Rashford who dealt it.

He scored a penalty deep into stoppage-time as an injury-hit Manchester United knocked out PSG in the last 16 on away goals, winning 3-1 after losing the first leg 2-0.

The defeat infuriated Thomas Tuchel, who was hired after Emery left. Tuchel said he couldn't understand why some of his players arrived late for the pre-match preparations.

PSG's Qatari owners QSI were preparing for a third season at the helm of the club with new coach Laurent Blanc, and he signed Digne from French rival Lille for 15 million euros (then $16.2 million).

It was a big fee for an unproven 20-year-old defender, but the quick and skillful Digne was impressive at times with his performances at left back.

However, he was unable to hold down a regular place and, after being loaned to Roma, he joined Barcelona in 2016.

His transition to the Premier League, first to Everton and then Villa four years ago, saw him become a consistent and respected Premier League defender.

The 31-year-old Digne recently reached 50 caps for France.

Emery sensed an opportunity during the winter transfer window and got Asensio on loan from PSG until the end of the season.

The 29-year-old Spaniard was not getting many opportunities in PSG coach Luis Enrique's revamped attack.

But he immediately made his mark at Villa, enhancing his reputation as a scoring super-sub.

Heading into Wednesday's game in Paris, Asensio had scored eight goals in 11 games, including three in the Round of 16 against Club Brugge.

His scoring prowess, which was somewhat stifled at PSG, has re-emerged at Villa. But it will not be a surprise to those who watched Asensio earlier in his career with Real Madrid.

As a strong-running attacking midfielder with a superb first touch and a penchant for long-distance shooting, he netted 61 goals in 286 games and won the Champions League three times, scoring in the 2017 final against Juventus.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford, center right, celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game with teammate Marco Asensio during the English FA Cup quarter final soccer match at Deepdale, Preston, England, Sunday, March 30, 2025. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

FILE -PSG's Lucas Digne control the ball during his French League one soccer match between Toulouse FC at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, France, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2015. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon, File)

FILE - PSG's Marco Asensio celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League 1 soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

FILE - ManU's Marcus Rashford , bottom, celebrates after scoring his side's third goalduring the Champions League round of 16, second leg soccer match between Paris Saint Germain and Manchester United at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, March. 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

FILE - PSG head coach Unai Emery reacts at the end of the Champions League round of 16, second leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday March 8, 2017. Barcelona won the match 6-1 (6-5 on aggregate). (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)