Game Summary
Over the last three games, the Brewers served a stinging reminder to these upstart Cardinals about who is boss in the NL Central and provided a guidepost on how much more this team has to accomplish on the rebuild path.
The Cardinals reach the 1/3 point of the season with a better-than-expected 29-25 win-loss mark but somehow seems like their vibe has been misplaced.
Today, Dustin May brought his best, taking a no-hitter into the eighth. Two hits chased him, then JoJo Romero relieved, but defensive gaffes complicated the inning and let two runs in, resulting in a final score of 2-1.
Pre-game notes
- The standard line-up with Pages catching and RHP on the mound.
- May on the mound for the Cardinals. Patrick on the mound for the Brewers. This will be a pseudo-bullpen game for the Brew Crew. They will start Patrick and ride him as far as they can. Figure 3-5 innings, no more than twice through. Patrick has been very effective in short stints.
- Day off tomorrow, then struggling Cubs comes to town. Blogger Night on Saturday.
The early innings are quiet, with lots of early swings and few walks
The Cardinals go quick to lead out the game. The league is getting Wetherholt out with early-in-the-count fastballs at the top of the zone that he likes to swing at but can’t drive. Lots of pop outs is the consequence. With all the P4 and F9’s he is accumulating, I’m guessing he is trying to jerk/pull these pitches since he experienced some early HR success. He will need to let these go early in the count and put more pressure on the pitcher. The Cardinals put multiple runners on in the 2nd and 3rd but could not cash in.
On the other side, Dustin May came out sharp, benefitting from the getaway day, swing early and swing often approach employed by many. Through three innings he had allowed zero hits and compiled five strikeouts. The only runners to reach were by HBP and a catcher’s interference.
The Cardinals jump on top as May sails
The Brewers are able to carry Patrick through four innings. In the fourth, the Brewers elected to leave him in to pitch to a LH hitter (Torres) with two out and one on (Walker) and Torres drove one into the corner to break the ice with a two-out RBI triple. Pages K’s the strand that runner, but the Cardinals were up 1-0. Patrick ended up striking out the side. The Brewers effectively traded a run for an out. When you are good, you can do that.
May follows up the Cardinal rally with another zero in the fourth, with two more strikeouts. He has been a bit sharper with command and a tick higher with velo today. Tough AB for the Brewers. 54 pitches through indicates his efficiency, which has not been a feature often so far this season.
The dreaded middle innings arrive
The Brewers take Patrick out after 4 IP, replacing with a lefty, Shane Drohan. The Brewers bullpen is good and well rested, so they are in good shape there. The Cardinals waste a double by Wetherholt as the left-left match-up against Burleson was not a good one.
Lately, as the Cardinals try to stretch their starters through six (against better lineups), they continue to suffer the third time through the line-up (TTTTLU) fate. Really, they aren’t losing games here, but they are putting them out of reach. It remains to be seen if they successfully climb the innings mount or are forced to lean more heavily on an under-manned bullpen.
Of course, May defeats any TTTTLU talk by pitching well. What an interesting twist! First Cardinal starter to pitch into the eighth.
The decisive and bitter end
May’s no -no ended with a lead off double in the eighth. A bunt single misplayed by the infield results in first and third with no out. Romero in. He gets a key infield out that freezes the runner and then a K against pinch hitter Vaughn. Left-left matchup against Yelich results in a two-out RBI to tie. Things worsened when Winn boots a grounder, scoring the winning run instead of ending the inning. Ugh.
Winn gets on and steals second in the ninth but the bottom of the line-up is unable to cash in. Final score 2-1. Swept.
Post-Game Notes
- Check out Today on the Farm – Wednesday 5/27 for updates on MiLB action.
- One thing is for certain. The Brewers can pitch.
- Today, some really poor ABs, especially with runners on. Winn and Burleson lead that class.
- The end of this game marks the end of the first third of the season. 54 games down, 108 of them to go (seemingly most of them in August).
