photo: Jack Flaherty (David Kohl/Imagn)
The St. Louis Cardinals went 4-2 on the week and remain at the top of the tight NL Central. Jack Flaherty has become the clear leader of the rotation. Our weekly history feature looks back at Lou Brock’s 3,000 hit, which came this past week in 1979.
Game recaps
Monday, August 12 – Off day
Tuesday, August 13 – Cardinals 2 at Royals 0
The Cardinals blanked the cross state Royals in the first of a two-game series in Kansas City on Tuesday. Starter Jack Flaherty was brilliant, pitching seven scoreless innings and allowing only three hits. The right hander fanned seven and walked one. Andrew Miller followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Carlos Martinez secured the last two outs of the ninth to earn his 13th save. Flaherty earned his sixth win.
St. Louis scored in the first and the third innings for the only two runs Tuesday. Paul Goldschmidt hit a sac fly and Tommy Edman singled to drive in the other. Kolten Wong was 2-for-3 as the only Cardinal with multiple hits.
Marcell Ozuna stole his 11th base of the season. Paul DeJong was caught stealing for the fifth time.
Wednesday, August 14 – Cardinals 6 at Royals 0
The Cardinals again blanked the Royals to sweep the two-game set. Starter Dakota Hudson pitched six scoreless innings, allowing five hits, striking out four and walking two. Tyler Webb followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings. John Gant got the last two outs of the eighth. Junior Fernandez tossed a scoreless ninth. Hudson earned his 11th win.
St. Louis’ offense broke the stalemate with five runs in the seventh inning. Matt Carpenter, Yadier Molina, and Randy Arozarena each plated a run on singles. Dexter Fowler drove in a run on a sac fly, and the final run of the inning came home on a force out by Tommy Edman. Paul DeJong hit a solo home run in the eighth to close the scoring. DeJong and Arozarena were both 2-for-4.
Thursday, August 15 – Cardinals 1 at Reds 2
In the first of a four-game series, the Cardinals fell to the Reds by the score of 2-1. St. Louis was held scoreless until the top of the ninth inning, when Kolten Wong doubled to left field. It was just the second Cardinal hit, with the other a single by Dexter Fowler.
Starter Michael Wacha pitched five innings and gave up two runs on five hits while striking out three and walking two. Tyler Webb, Junior Fernandez, and Ryan Helsley combined for the final three scoreless innings of relief. Wacha took the loss.
Wong stole his 16th base, Marcell Ozuna swiped his 12th bag, and Dexter Fowler stole his seventh. Wacha picked a runner off first base.
Friday, August 16 – Cardinals 13 at Reds 4
In Game 2 of the four-game series, the Cardinals shellacked the Reds 13-4. Dexter Fowler led the offense with a 3-for-6 game and four RBI. Fowler hit a three-run home run in the second inning, singled and doubled. Tommy Edman went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Paul DeJong thumped a two-run home run in the third inning. Kolten Wong was 4-for-5 with a solo home run in the seventh. Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run home run in the fifth and was 2-for-4. Marcell Ozuna was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Starter Adam Wainwright pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up four runs, three earned, on seven hits. The right hander struck out six and walked one. John Brebbia tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. Giovanny Gallegos hurled a scoreless ninth. Wainwright earned his ninth win.
Edman and Matt Carpenter each made a fielding error.
Saturday, August 17 – Cardinals 1 at Reds 6
The Cardinals were defeated by the Reds in Game 3 on Saturday. St. Louis’ offense managed only one run on seven hits. Matt Carpenter’s solo home run in the second inning was the only scoring play. Yairo Munoz was 3-for-4. Paul Goldschmidt doubled for the only other extra base hit.
Starter Miles Mikolas suffered his 13th loss of the season. Mikolas pitched five innings and gave up five runs on seven hits. The right hander struck out five and walked two. Ryan Helsley surrendered one run in two innings of relief. Junior Fernandez pitched a scoreless eighth.
Sunday, August 18 – Cardinals 5 at Reds 4
The Cardinals split the series with the Reds with a 5-4 victory on Sunday. Starter Jack Flaherty earned his seventh win of the season pitching five innings and giving up one run on three hits. The right hander struck out five and walked three. Giovanny Gallegos surrendered one run in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Andrew Miller walked the only batter he faced in the seventh inning to load the bases before John Gant got the last two outs of the seventh. Gant returned to pitch a scoreless eighth. Carlos Martinez allowed two runs in the ninth but earned his 14th save.
St. Louis’ offense scored five runs on eight hits. Tommy Edman was 3-for-5, including a solo home run. Paul Goldschmidt was 2-for-3 with a two-run home run. Lane Thomas was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Edman stole his eighth base of the season. Lane Thomas was caught stealing for the first time.
The Big Picture
The Cardinals ended the week with a record of 4-2. The team swept the Royals in two games, then split a four game series with the Reds. The Cardinals are tied for first place in the NL Central with the Cubs.
The Cardinals continue to feature an offense that runs hot and cold. They can score 13 runs in one game and one run the next. Paul DeJong and Matt Carpenter are slumping. Newly activated Yadier Molina has also not hit. Kolten Wong, Dexter Fowler, Marcell Ozuna, and Paul Goldschmidt have hit well in the last week. Tommy Edman has run hot and cold. He continues to get starts in the outfield over actual outfielders, having been proclaimed a starter (without a clear defensive position) and moved to the leadoff spot by manager Mike Shildt.
Shildt says Edman has become a "regular" in the #STLCards' lineup: "Tommy Edman has more than earned his opportunity to get out there and play every day." #TimeToFly pic.twitter.com/nqTIqH70Bw
— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) August 18, 2019
The defense in the infield has been fine. The outfield defense has not. Natural outfielders Lane Thomas and Randy Arozarena have not played much with infielders Tommy Edman and Yairo Munoz getting outfield starts instead. This outfield arrangement has met with limited success offensively, and no success defensively. Playing poor teams during the past week has tempered the possible damage in runs allowed.
Pitching has been mostly good. Jack Flaherty continues to do well. Adam Wainwright, Dakota Hudson and even Michael Wacha have been okay. Miles Mikolas had a poor start against the Reds. The bullpen has been fine, with the exception of Andrew Miller, who continues to be hit and miss in his outings. Closer Carlos Martinez is getting the job done, but while often living on the edge.
St. Louis will face better teams in the Brewers and the Rockies in the coming week. With the team’s tenuous position at the top of the NL Central, playing well and winning games against both is crucial. The offense must be more consistent, especially if the outfield defense remains the same. Runs allowed could increase and therefore runs scored must increase to compensate.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| St. Louis | 65 | 57 | 0.533 | |
| Chicago | 66 | 58 | 0.532 | |
| Milwaukee | 64 | 60 | 0.516 | 2 |
| Cincinnati | 58 | 65 | 0.472 | 7.5 |
| Pittsburgh | 51 | 72 | 0.415 | 14.5 |
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
- 8/12 The Cardinals placed RF Jose Martinez on the 10 day injured list. Right AC joint sprain.
- 8/12 The Cardinals activated C Yadier Molina from the 10-day injured list.
- 8/12 The Cardinals optioned C Andrew Knizner to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 8/12 The Cardinals selected the contract of LF Randy Arozarena from the Memphis Redbirds.
Injury Report
- LHP Brett Cecil (carpal tunnel syndrome left wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had been shut down from throwing for an indefinite period since spring training. The left hander had a setback in his rehab and will not return in 2019.
- RHP Jordan Hicks (torn right UCL) underwent Tommy John surgery on June 26 and is out for the rest of the season.
- LF Tyler O’Neill (left wrist strain) was placed on the 10 day injured list retroactive to August 1. O’Neill was reported hitting against a pitching machine as of August 15, with a slower than hoped return schedule.
- LHP Tony Cingrani (left shoulder labrum surgery) was acquired in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31. Cingrani is out for the season and will become a free agent at the end of the season. Cingrani will likely never throw a pitch for the Cardinals.
- RF Jose Martinez (Right AC shoulder joint sprain) was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 12. Martinez has received a cortisone shot and his expected return date is late August at the earliest.
Injury updates on minors 40-man roster players
Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports on the injury status of a trio of 40-man roster players currently on the Memphis Redbirds roster.
Left handed pitcher Austin Gomber, who has been on the minor league injured list since May with a left bicep injury and shoulder fatigue, threw live batting practice on Sunday for the first action toward a return to pitching. Reports on the live batting practice were positive. Gomber will throw another live batting practice in three or four days. (Ed. note: However, only two weeks remain on the minor league schedules, leaving little to no time for Gomber to throw in rehab action.)
Utility player Drew Robinson has been on Memphis’ injured list since June 26. Robinson had “progressive Tommy John surgery” on his left elbow this past Thursday. This surgery is not the full -blown Tommy John surgery. Robinson is out for the season but is expected to be ready by Spring Training 2020.
Another high profile 40-man pitcher on the Memphis IL, Alex Reyes, has not been cleared to throw. As a result, his 2019 season has to be considered effectively over as well.
Alex Reyes is “not in throwing mode, he’s in rehab mode,” after many evaluations following his bullpen session earlier this month https://t.co/AMVOXYGw8e
— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) August 19, 2019
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals left Cincinnati on Sunday to begin a seven-game home stand with three against the Brewers and four with the Rockies. Dakota Hudson is scheduled to make the Monday start against Milwaukee, followed by Michael Wacha on Tuesday, and Adam Wainwright on Wednesday. Miles Mikolas will get the Thursday start against the Rockies. The pitching probables for the remainder of the Rockies has not been announced but will likely be Jack Flaherty on Friday, Hudson on Saturday, and Wacha on Sunday.
The Cardinals will then take a short trip to Milwaukee to play three beginning August 26. They end the month with a weekend series at home versus the Reds.
The Cardinals’ regular season schedule can be viewed here.
Blast from the Past
This week’s Blast from the Past takes a look at a feat which occurred during this past week in team history. Hall of Famer Lou Brock reached a major career milestone on August 13, 1979 – 3,000 hits.
Brock came to the Cardinals via the infamous trade with the Cubs on June 15, 1964, in which Chicago sent Brock, Jack Spring, and Paul Toth to St. Louis for Ernie Broglio, Bobby Shantz, and Doug Clemens. Cardinals manager Johnny Keane asked GM Bing Devine to acquire Brock to increase team speed. At the time, the trade was considered a steal by the Cubs, but as most know, it turned out not to be.
After Brock was traded to St. Louis, his career took off. He batted .348 and stole 38 bases in the remainder of the 1964 season. At the time of the trade the Cardinals were in eighth place in the National League. At the end of the season, St. Louis had won the NL pennant, and went on to defeat the Yankees in the 1964 World Series.
Brock broke Maury Wills’ single-season stolen base record in 1966 with 74. Brock is perhaps most known for his base stealing ability, as he led the NL in stolen bases eight times between 1966 and 1974. While this talent was the hallmark of Brock’s career, it was not what primarily got him elected to the Hall of Fame.
Brock was not a power hitter, as he hit only 149 home runs over his career. Brock did hit however and did so prodigiously. On August 13, 1979, in the final season of his 19-year major league career, Brock became only the 14th player in major league history to have 3,000 hits. Brock reached that plateau against his former team, the Chicago Cubs. One month later, Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox achieved the same feat.
Brock retired at the end of the 1979 season with 3,023 hits. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 and was a part of the Cardinals inaugural Hall of Fame Class of 2014.
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