The St. Louis Cardinals wrapped up a 3-game series on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies badly needing a series victory before they welcome the team they’re chasing in the Wild Card race, the Philadelphia Phillies, to town. Michael McGreevy had a rough start, a good middle and a not great finish, but the Cardinals provided him a little run support for a change although a late rally would be necessary.
Sunday’s game started out very similar to Saturday’s game at Busch Stadium as the Colorado Rockies got off to a fast start when Jake McCarthy hit McGreevy’s 2nd pitch into right field for a leadoff double. Carrigg followed that with a bunt single giving the Rockies two on with no one out to start the game. Michael McGreevy would fortunately get Rumfield to hit into a double play, but McCarthy would eventually score when Hunter Goodman came through with a two-out RBI single giving the Rockies another early lead of 1-0.
St. Louis would answer in the bottom of the first when JJ Wetherholt drew a leadoff walk followed by Iván Herrera who reached on an infield hit. Two batters later, Jordan Walker smacked a RBI single scoring JJ and tying the game 1-1.
As Michael McGreevy settled into the game and kept the Rockies off the scoreboard in the middle innings, the St. Louis Cardinals bats gave him a lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Iván Herrera singled to left and then Alec Burleson walked. Jordan Walker lifted a fly ball to very deep center for the first out, but both runners moved up on his out giving St. Louis runners at 2nd and 3rd with just one out. Jimmy Crooks then hit a sacrifice fly to right which scored Herrera before Masyn Winn was not fooled by an 83 mph changeup that he crushed off of the left-centerfield wall scoring Burleson and giving the Cardinals a 3-1 lead.
One of the loudest contacts in Busch Stadium this season happened in the bottom of the 6th inning when Alec Burleson greeted a 91 mph sinker and launched it 441 feet deep into the right-centerfield stands increasing the Cardinals lead to 4-1. BOOM!
That 4-1 lead wouldn’t last long for St. Louis as Michael McGreevy got hit hard in the top of the 6th inning. With two outs, Castro ripped a double off of the wall in right which was followed by Brett Sullivan connecting with a 91 mph McGreevy sinker and depositing it over the right field wall for a 2-run homer reducing the Cardinals lead down to just one run at 4-3. Justin Bruihl would finish the 6th and also pitch the top of the 7th for St. Louis without allowing any more runs during his watch.
Many of the St. Louis faithful know the trepidation of the Cardinals entering the late innings with only a one-run lead. That’s why we were encouraged that the Cardinals bats threatened to increase that lead in the bottom of the 7th when JJ Wetherholt led off with a solid single to center followed by another from Iván Herrera giving St. Louis runners at first and second with no outs. No runs would be scored unfortunately after those two hits were wasted after a flyout and two groundouts.
That sinking feeling after missing a great scoring opportunity in the bottom of the 7th inning was realized in the top of the 8th inning when the Rockies Hunter Goodman connected with a 95 mph George Soriano sinker and sent it 394 feet into the left field stands tying the game at 4-4.
The St. Louis Cardinals seemed determined to not wait until the bottom of the 9th inning to overcome the Coloradoans. Masyn Winn and Nathan Church led off the bottom of the 8th with back-to-back singles and then José Fermín laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt moving Winn and Church up to scoring position and second and third with just one out. Unfortunately, Bryan Torres struck out on 3 pitches for the second out which left the Cardinals 8th inning fate in JJ Wetherholt’s hands. The Rockies went to the bullpen and brought in lefty Parker Mushinski. JJ made Colorado understand they made a mistake immediately as he unloaded on Mushinski’s first pitch which was a 92 mph four-seam fastball and blasted a triple (that the official scorer somehow declared a double and an error) off of the centerfield wall scoring both Winn and Church giving the Cardinals a 6-4 lead. Iván Herrera added another invaluable single into left-center scoring Wetherholt and upping the St. Louis advantage to 7-4.
The top of the 9th inning was Riley O’Brien’s responsibility as he had to face Cardinals killer Jake McCarthy first. He lined out to newcomer Pereira in left field for the first out. Carrigg was next up and he was robbed by a nice play from JJ Wetherholt up the middle that also included a nice stretch by Alec Burleson that was confirmed after a Colorado challenge. Rumfield was the Rockies last hope, but he lined out to Pereira who made a great diving catch in left to seal Colorado’s fate.
The St. Louis Cardinals begin a crucial 3-game homestand against the Philadelphia Phillies Monday night at Busch Stadium. Hunter Dobbins gets the start for the Cardinals while the Phillies will give the ball to Andrew Painter who’s returning from hamstring issues. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm central time and the game broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.
