A night that began with a lot of promise instead ended with a familiar feeling of bitter disappointment for the Cardinals and their fans.
Jack Flaherty, making his second start since returning from an oblique injury, went six innings and gave up just two runs, putting his team in position to gain ground in the Wild Card race, as the Padres were swept by the Rockies.
Fast forward to the ninth, and Alex Reyes’ turbulent second half continued. With one out, he allowed Avisail Garcia’s second home-run of the game, which tied the game at 3.
Even worse for St. Louis was the fact that Nolan Arenado had been ejected in the seventh inning for arguing balls and strikes. Without him, the Cardinals came up empty in the bottom of the ninth against Josh Hader.
And things would only get worse in the top of the tenth, as a throwing error by Reyes allowed the Brewers to put two runners in scoring position.
Reyes rebounded to get two outs, but when Christian Yelich came to the plate, manager Shildt opted to leave the laboring Reyes in the ballgame and pitch to Yelich, rather than walk Yelich to force the Brewers hand and get them to pinch-hit for Hader, or even put in one of his two remaining lefties in the bullpen, Andrew Miller or T.J. McFarland.
Reyes proceeded to throw a pitch in the dirt to allow the go ahead run to score, plus two more runs on base hits by Yelich and pinch-hitter Jace Pederson.
St. Louis managed to scratch out one in the bottom of the tenth, and even bring the tying run to the plate. But the damage was already done. St. Louis fell 6-4, dropping a critical series and failing to move up in the Wild Card standings.
“It’s tough, especially coming into this series, knowing it’s a big series and having the lead there in the ninth and giving it up, it’s tough,” Reyes said after the game. “It’s tough to go home tonight and swallow that one, but you know tomorrow’s another day, still got the opportunity to go out there and perform, and that’s what I’m looking forward to right now.”
The good news for the Cardinals is that they didn’t lose any ground in the Wild Card race. A win tonight puts them at 3.5 games out, so they’re still within striking distance.
“We’re right there,” said Jack Flaherty. “We’re not nearly as far out as it may look to some people. That second Wild Card spot is right there.”
St. Louis will send Jon Lester to the mound against Brandon Woodruff, hoping to avoid a sweep.
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