Jackson Holliday hopes the good results and positive vibes coming from a familiar ballpark can spark him down the stretch for the Baltimore Orioles.

Holliday spent plenty of time at Busch Stadium watching his dad, slugger Matt Holliday, play for the St. Louis Cardinals (2009-16). But the younger Holliday played there for the first time in the majors on Tuesday night, collecting three hits from the leadoff spot in Baltimore's 13-1 thumping of St. Louis.

The two teams will meet again Wednesday night in the second game of a three-game series.

"I obviously grew up coming to these games, coming out here for BP and watching my dad play here for a long time," Holliday said. "For me to get out here and play a game in this ballpark, it's pretty cool."

Pete Alonso stayed hot in the series opener, hitting a three-run homer and driving in four runs for the Orioles, who are hanging close in the American League wild-card scrum despite a 64-68 record.

The Orioles are 2 1/2 games out of the final wild card, one of five teams within three games of the final spot in the AL's postseason field.

Alonso has 31 homers this season and a .398 batting average and a .451 on-base percentage in August. Getting more production from Holliday could help the Orioles secure a playoff spot.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, Holliday, 22, has performed below expectations in the majors so far. Earlier this month, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz moved Holliday to the top of the batting order to challenge him. But Holliday is hitting only .188 in August, with a .239 on-base percentage and a .282 slugging percentage.

"This baseball game is the worst sometimes," he said. "Even when you hit it good, it's at people. And when you don't, you somehow find a hole."

Albernaz said Holliday's improved approach is bound to yield better results despite the rough month.

Holliday is batting .236 for the season, with six homers and 27 RBIs.

"Jackie's been in a great spot," Albernaz said. "It's been fun to watch him go, and him managing the at-bat has been the biggest thing for me. Getting good pitches to hit and working the count."

Injuries have held him back some, and it's easy to forget that Holliday won't turn 23 until December. In his third MLB season, he is the second-youngest player on the roster after Samuel Basallo, who turned 22 on Aug. 13.

Holliday said he just needs to keep putting in the work.

"I'm just trying to stay steady in my work and process, and it was nice to get some results tonight," Holliday said postgame on Tuesday.

The Orioles are scheduled to send right-hander Kyle Bradish (7-12, 3.70 ERA) to the hill on Wednesday. He is 0-3 in four August starts despite allowing eight runs in 22 innings for a 3.48 ERA.

Bradish is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals, both at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis fell one game under .500 at 66-67 after dropping the series opener to Baltimore, and the Cardinals remain five games behind the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card berth. St. Louis, which has a four-game losing streak, also trails the Arizona Diamondbacks and Miami Marlins in the wild-card standings.

Getting blown out on Tuesday felt as dreadful as it looked, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said, but it did give him a chance to rest several starting players after the fifth inning.

"It wasn't good enough today," Marmol said of the Cardinals' performance.

Right-hander Michael McGreevy (5-9, 3.54 ERA) is the scheduled starter on Wednesday and will get the chance to help St. Louis in its push for the postseason. He has yet to face the Orioles.