The Cardinals got some much needed help in the starting rotation with the return of Kwang-Hyun Kim on Tuesday.
The lefty went six innings and allowed one run in his return from the injured list for his first quality start of the 2021 season, working around five walks and striking out six. Kim received a no-decision.
“For him to keep it at one run was huge,” said Paul Goldschmidt. “We came into the dugout after that (the sixth) inning and felt like we won that inning, even though we were losing the game.”
Kim was pleased with his effort, but still feels he has more to give.
“Next time, I’ll do my best to hear ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ when I’m on the mound after the seventh inning,” he said.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, St. Louis began to chip away, as pinch-hitter Jose Rondon got a base hit with one out, later advancing to third on a pickoff error by Marlins starter Trevor Rodgers. Dylan Carlson struck out for the second out, but the Cardinals were far from through, as in stepped the aforementioned Goldschmidt.
He worked the count 2-2. Then on pitch no. 88 for Rodgers, the Cards slugger lined one into right field to bring home Rondon and tie the game.
After yeoman work from relievers Genesis Cabrera, Giovanny Gallegos, and Alex Reyes, “Goldy” came up again in the ninth, facing right-handed Yimi Garcia.
On a 1-2 pitch, he struck again, this time sending a fly-ball out to deep right-center that cleared the wall for his first walk-off home-run since 2019, which put the Cardinals back over the .500 mark and moved them to within four games of first-place in the NL Central.
“We have a good team, and I feel like a lot of guys have been doing their job and I haven’t been doing my best,” said Goldschmidt. “Just try to keep working and that’s what I was doing yesterday. It doesn’t guarantee results, but definitely not just going to show up and just be like ‘Oh well,’ and hope for the best.”
The win also gave St. Louis its first series win since Memorial Day weekend in Arizona, where they took 3 out of 4 from the D’Backs.
The Cardinals will try for the sweep this afternoon as they send Johan Oviedo to the mound opposite former Cardinal Sandy Alcantara.
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