Cardinals vs Angels Live Stream Today: How to Watch, Start Time, Key Matchups & Score Updates (July 21, 2026)

The Los Angeles Angels stunned the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Monday night, plating two runs in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off hit-by-pitch that sent Angel Stadium into chaos. The victory snapped a four-game slide for Anaheim and set the stage for Tuesday’s prime-time showdown in the three-game interleague set. Game 2 first pitch is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET Tuesday, July 21, with right-hander Chase Silseth (5-7, 2.88 ERA) expected to face Cardinals lefty Steven Matz (6-6, 3.44 ERA). Silseth has allowed only three earned runs over his last 18 innings, while Matz rides a 17-inning scoreless streak that includes eight shutout frames against San Francisco last week. Key storylines to watch 1. Trout vs. Arenado power surge Mike Trout’s two-run blast Monday—his 19th of 2026—moved him within one of Nolan Arenado for the series home-run lead. Arenado’s .949 OPS on the road is the best among qualified NL hitters, and he has homered in four of his last six visits to the Big A. 2. Angels bullpen on thin ice Closer Carlos Estévez needed 29 pitches to finish Monday’s comeback; manager Ron Washington hinted he may be unavailable for Game 2. The Angels own the AL’s second-worst bullpen ERA (4.92), while St. Louis ranks seventh in MLB at 3.48. 3. Cardinals desperate for momentum St. Louis has dropped 10 of its last 13, falling 8.5 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central. A series loss in Anaheim would leave the Redbirds needing a sweep in San Diego this weekend to enter the trade deadline above .500. Matchup nuggets • The Cardinals are 14-9 against left-handed starters but only 25-38 vs. righties; the Angels flip that script at 32-29 against southpaws. • Angel Stadium has yielded the league’s sixth-highest HR/FB rate (14.2 %), an environment tailor-made for power bats on both sides. • St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras is 4-for-8 with two doubles lifetime vs. Silseth, while Angels slugger Jo Adell owns a pair of homers in six at-bats against Matz. Betting edge Early lines list the Cardinals as slight –115 favorites with the total set at 8.5. Sports-model projections lean Over, citing warm Southern California temperatures and the thin Angels relief corps. Bottom line An Angels win Tuesday would guarantee their first home series victory since mid-June and hand Silseth a season-high three-game winning streak. The Cardinals, meanwhile, can ill afford another late-inning letdown as they chase Milwaukee and fend off Cincinnati in a crowded NL Central race. Tune in for what promises to be another dramatic chapter in the Cardinals vs. Angels rivalry—and a matchup loaded with playoff implications despite the calendar still reading July.