The streak ended in a big way with a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks to start the week, including a top pitching performance for Carlos Martinez, A break out by Goldschmidt, Then to Colorado, and a homecoming for Nolan Arenado.
I GIVE YOU the weekly recap!
First up was a three-game set vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks At Busch Stadium. Arizona came in sporting the worst records in MLB. Many fans were hoping for a sweep. This series Marked the debut of Wade LeBlanc as a starter.
Game 1 - 6/28 vs. Arizona, Cardinals 7 - Diamondbacks 1
36-year-old Wade Leblanc makes his start for St Louis. The Cardinals signed LeBlanc on June 17th. Coming out of the bullpen for St Louis, He was; 0-0 6 2/3IP, 7H, 3R, 1 BB, 4Ks, no saves. ERA of 4.09 a 1.21 WHIP, and opponents hit .250 against him.
In his first start on Monday, he went 4 1/3IP 4H, 1R, 1 BB, 2Ks 2.09 ERA, 1.16WHIP even though the D-Backs are the absolute worst team in the league. It was still a good outing by the 36-year-old left-hander. 6 different Cardinal relievers finished the game.
Ryan Helsley finished off the fifth getting a popup and a fly-out. John Gant started the sixth and allowed two singles while also recording two outs. Genesis Cabrera came in, loaded the bases, then Striking out the pitcher. Giovanny Gallegos had a one, two, three seventh. Andrew Miller a one, two, three-eighth. Brandon Waddell pitched the ninth after a lead-off walk. He struck the next two and got a fly ball out to end the game.
The Cards scored first in the third when Dylan Carlson tripled home a run his third triple of the year.
Josh Rojas would tie it for the visitors with a home run off Leblanc.
Then in the seventh inning, The Cards inflicted damage, as Mike Shildt likes to say. Carlson broke the tie with an RBI single. After a passed ball put Carlson on second, Paul Goldschmidt singled him home. A single by Tyler O'Neill put runners at first and second with two out. Yadier Molina then doubled home both Cardinal runners. Paul DeJong completed the scoring with a two-run homer. His second in three days.
The Cards start the week 1-0 and 38-41 overall.
Game 2 - 6/29 vs. Arizona Cardinals 3 - Diamondbacks 2
After Carlos Martinez's last outing, no one knew what to expect. The 30-year-old right-hander came out and delivered his best game since his 2-0 loss to the Cubs on June 13th.
Unlike his last game against Pittsburgh, Carlos came out with a laser focus, and he had a good pace and rhythm. It was a significant change and made a difference. Martinez stats 6IP, 4H, 1R, 2BB, 6 Strikeouts. I was not a normal seventh thru nine relief. Cabrera would star the seventh, run on one hit and two walks, and strike out a batter. Andrew Miller came in to get the final out of the seventh. Alex Reyes would pitch the final two innings to earn his 19th save in 19 tries.
The scoring didn't start until the bottom of the fifth when Tommy Edman, back in the leadoff spot for this game, singled, then stole second on a pick-off attempt. Edman advanced to third on a throwing error by the pitcher with Nolan Arenado at the plate. Arenado would then hit a line shot off the foul pole left for his club-leading 16th home run.
Eduardo Escobar would single to cut the lead in half in the top of the sixth. Tommy Edman would get the run back in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out single in the bottom half.
Arizona Would get a run in the seventh inning on a bases-loaded walk to Pavin Smith by Andrew Miller to close the scoring.
The Redbirds go 2-0 for the week 39-41 overall.
Game 3 - 6/30 vs. Arizona Cardinals 7 - Diamondbacks 4
For the first time in 11 games, Kwang Hyun Kim gets a win. It was also the first time in three starts that he has made it through the fifth inning.
Paul Goldschmidt and Tyler O'Neill each had three hits and RBI apiece (side note When Paul Goldschmidt has three hits or more, the Cardinals are 7-1).
Still going too deep in too many counts, Kim threw 96 pitches in five innings, giving up one run on three hits and three walks while striking out 5. Kim also had a hand in the offense, with a two-RBI double in the second inning.
Out of the pen came John Gant, who went two scoreless innings, gave up one hit, and issued one walk. Roel Ramirez started the eighth and was, well, a batting practice pitcher. He lasted 1/3 of an inning, gave up one hit, surrendered two walks, and was charged with three runs. Ryan Helsley finished off the seventh, issuing only one walk. Alex Reyes pitched the ninth, giving up one hit, getting one strikeout, and earning his 20th save.
The scoring started in the second inning when Kim doubled into left field, scoring two runs.
Asdrubal Cabrera got one run back for Arizona with an RBI single in the third. The Cardinals added to the lead in their half of the third. RBI singles by Tyler O'Neill and Yadier Molina gave the Cardinals a three-run cushion. Paul Goldschmidt would single in the fourth for an RBI. Tommy Edman would add an RBI single in the fifth, and in the seventh, Edman would drive home a run with a fielder's choice. In the eighth, Arizona would like a rally together. After Ramirez gave up a single, a walk, a fielder's choice, and another walk for bases loaded 1 out the situation. Ryan Helsley came in and walked Daulton Varsho on four pitches driving in a run. A wild pitch allowed another run to score. The ground out by David Peralta brought the third run yet. All runs are charged to Ramirez. the 7-4 victory made the Cards 3-0 for the week 40-41 overall
Off to Colorado for a four-game set against the Rockies themselves, are coming off a 3 game sweep of the Pittsburg Pirates. They currently have a .644 winning percentage at Coors Field. They are also coming off a month where they went 12-3 at home in June. The 12 wins included a sweep of the Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres, and the Pirates.
Game 4 - 7/1 @ Colorado Rockies 5 - Cardinals 2
Suppose it seems like I am highlighting Adam Wainwright a lot because, well, I am! I have done it so much I have almost run out of superlatives!
For the sixth time in a row, Adam wainwright put a quality start together 8IP, 6H, 2R, 1BB, 4SO. For the fifth time in those six games threw 100+ pitches. For Adam Wainwright, his dominance over Colorado continues. In 17 games - 13 starts - he has a 1.72 career ERA against the Rockies, and at Coors Field, he has a 2.42 ERA in seven games, six starts. Adam didn't have some issue with his curveball in the first inning. As he always does, he makes a mid-game adjustment, boom 8 innings later, he leaves The Redbirds in a good spot.
What happened in the ninth was heartbreaking. The Cardinals struck first on a single by Paul DeJong driving home a run in the second. Brenda Rogers homered in the bottom of the second to give the Rockies the 2-1 lead. St Louis countered in the third on a Paul Goldschmidt home run.
Things stayed that way until the ninth, With Genesis Cabrera on the mound. After a strikeout and a ground out, Cabrera walked the next two batters the faced Elias Diaz on a count of 0-2. Diaz connected with a walk-off three-run homer, giving the Rockies the 5-2 win.
The loss ended the three-game win streak making the cards 3-1 for the week 40-42 overall.
Game 5 - 7/2 @ Colorado Cardinals 9 - Rockies 3
Johan Oviedo made it through six innings for only the second time this year in one of the tougher places to pitch.
While his numbers don't jump off the page,
6IP, 7H, 3ER, 1BB, 2SO on 79 pitches. It was his best outing since June 16 vs. Miami at Busch. He did look like a pitcher who was confident he looked like he trusted what he had. Let's hope it carries over to his next start. It still ended in a no-decision for him as the Cardinal offense did spot him in a two-run lead, but the bats took a break until late in the game. Ryan Helsley, Genesis Cabrera, and John Gant kept the Rockies in check.
The Cards opened the first inning when Yadier Molina hit a two-run home run to left field. Colorado also picked the go-ahead run in the sixth on the double by CJ Cron. In the ninth, with runners on first and second and two outs and an 0-2 count, Jose Rondon lined a single to left to make it a tie game. In the tenth, with two out and runners on second and third back-to-back singles, Molina and Tommy Edman gave the birds a two-run lead. Harrison Bader's first hit followed that up since coming off the IL was a grand slam home run. Alex Reyes then pitched a one, two, three 10th to secure the win. Giving the Cardinals a 4-1 record for the week bringing the overall record to 41-42
Game 6 - 7/3 @ Colorado Rockies 3 - Cardinals 2
Coming off one of the best clutch-hitting nights this season, the Cardinal bats took a siesta for 7 innings, then tried another clutch comeback and fell short. Which is unfortunate for Wade LeBlanc.
LeBlanc is his second start turned in a gem for 5 2/3 innings. Allowing zero runs on only three hits. He walked three and struck out three.
Ryan Helsley finished the sixth and started the seventh. Genesis Cabrera came in with one out, gave up a single walk, then a two-out three-run home run to Trevor Story.
The Redbirds did mount a comeback in the eighth. Paul Goldschmidt singled home a run, as did Yadier Molina, like the night before both RBIs came with two outs. They mounted another two-out rally in the ninth after a walk and a two-out Tommy Edman double, putting runners on second and third. Dylan Carlson would strikeout to end the game. The loss puts the cards at 4-2 for the week and 41 -43 overall.
Game 7 - 7/4 @ Colorado Rockies 3 - Cardinals 2
Carlos Martinez fresh off his best performance arguably since April. Matched up against Rockies young star German Marquez in what looked to be a possible low-scoring pitchers' duel, and it was. It just was not a traditional one.
Martinez was starting to show signs of injury to his thumb.
It was said he bruised it when he batted leading off in the third inning but then pitched the third. He gave up a walk on four straight pitches, then getting the next three batters out on five pitches. Brandon Waddell came in, gave up a walk, got the next two batters, and pitched a one, two, three fifth inning.
On the other side, German Marquez went six innings, gave up two runs on 5 hits, walked one struck out 11. The blemish on Marquez came on a Harrison Bader 2 run home run.
It was Bader's second Home Run in three games. Bader would go 4-16 in the series with 6 RBIs.
The Cards held the lead until the eighth inning when Trevor Story hit a sac fly off of Giovanny Gallegos. The Cardinals threatened in the ninth with two on one out when Yadier Molina hit a double play.
Newcomers Brandon Waddell and Justin Miller pitched this week, with Waddell pitching against Arizona and Colorado, going 2 2/3IP, 1H, 0R, 2BB, 3SO, and Miller pitching inning against Colorado. No runs or hits, one walk, and one strikeout.
Nolan Arenado's homecoming was forgettable, at least offensively, as he was 2-14 with 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, and no RBIs.
The loss dropped the Week's record to 4-3. and an overall record of 41-43 and 10 games out of first place in the NL Central.
UP NEXT!
At the San Francisco Giants 7/5-7/7, probable pitching matchups are:
7/5 Kwang Hyun Kim 2-5 vs Kevin Gausman 8-2
7/6 Adam Wainwright 6-5 vs. Johnny Cueto 6-4
7/7 Johan Oviedo 0-4 vs. Alex Wood 7-3
At the Chicago Cubs 7/9-7/11, probable pitchers are:
7/9 Wade LeBlanc 0-1 vs. Kyle Hendricks 10-2
7/10 Carlos Martinez? 4-9 vs. Zach Davies 5-5
7/11 Kwang Hyun Kim vs Jake Arietta
After that, it is the All-Star break. Nolan Arenado is the Starting third baseman for the NL, and Alex Reyes will be in the bullpen. Tyler O'Neill could get an invite as Kyle Schwarber, who has been selected, is injured and unavailable.
Thanks for reading