Jack Flaherty vs Steven Strasburg, who’s ready for a pitcher’s duel? Ha. Jokes on you!! Tonight felt like the first night we didn’t need to get any rally beers going, which means they’ll be flowing tomorrow afternoon for Yadi’s 2,000 game at catcher, right?
Anyway, I’m sure you’re all aware with the outcome of tonight’s game, so we aren’t gonna dive as deep as usual with a quick turnaround tomorrow.
Captain Jack didn’t necessarily have his best stuff, working a handful of deep counts again as his pitch count was at 70 to end his 3rd frame. But he was good enough to go 5 strong innings, striking out 6, while allowing a run on a Soto (go figure) double in the 3rd. He finished the night- 5IP, 3 hits, 1r/1er, 0bb/ 6 k’s (96 pitches/ 56 strikes).
Now to the bats:
Every spot in the lineup collected a hit tonight, as the team would collect 15 base knocks (8 vs Strasburg, 6 vs Avilán*, & 1 vs Voth). The Cards would smoke three HR off Strasburg, who was definitely laboring and dealing with some sort of discomfort as his velo just wasn’t right and he was seen rubbing his right lat between innings on camera.
Goldy would hit the 1st, also his 1st of the year, sending a solo shot to LF to get things going in the bottom of the 1st.
Arenado would collect the next, sending a two-run nuke over the LF wall for his 3rd of the year.
Carp, yes, that Carp, sent the final HR out the park with an absolute moon shot off the RF fair pole two batters after Arenado hit his, a two-run shot of his own to score DeJong, making it 5-1 after 3 innings. Nobody needed it more than Carp, and the fans knew it too. After crossing the plate and entering the dugout, the fans were asking for the curtain call and they got it. A truly heartwarming moment!! Good for Carp.
The Cardinals would send 14 batters up to the plate in the 5th inning, plating 9 runs to extend their lead to 14-1. Justin Williams would drive in three runs in two at bats during the inning, ripping two hard hit singles off the lefty Avilán. Williams was one of four players to drive in 3 runs, joining Goldy, Arenado, & Carp.
Lost in all the run scoring, were the outings from Génesis Cabrera and freshly recalled, Kody Whitley. Cabrera would work a 1-2-3 6th vs Turner-Soto-Bell, striking out Turner and Soto on 97mph and 98mph gas. Soto saw three pitches and was fooled on every single one of them.
Whitley would work the 7th and 8th, allowing one hit, no runs, while striking out Avila on a slider.
Uncle Charlie (0-1, 8.22) gets the nod in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon, facing off against Joe Ross (0-0, 0.00). Yadi will be catching his 2,000 game tomorrow afternoon and of course Waino would be throwing to him. Tomorrow will be another moment added to the lifelong memory bank. First pitch scheduled for 12:15pm c/t.
Cheers, Stew
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