photo: Miles Mikolas (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
The St. Louis Cardinals headed into the break with a 4-2 week but also with more injuries and clear pitching needs. Miles Mikolas is a deserving All-Star Game addition. Our Blast from the Past recounts key events this past week in Cardinals All-Star Game history.
Game recaps
Monday, July 11 – Cardinals 6, Phillies 1
The St. Louis Cardinals were victorious in the final game with the Phillies at Busch Stadium to split the series 2-2. Miles Mikolas started for St. Louis. The right hander pitched 7 1/3 innings, gave up one run on six hits and struck out five to earn his sixth win of the season.
Genesis Cabrera relieved Mikolas and threw one scoreless inning. Junior Fernandez secured the final two outs of the ninth.
The Phillies got on the board first with one run in the first inning. The game remained 1-0 until the fifth inning. The home half began with a single from Dylan Carlson. Carlson advanced to second on a ground out by Albert Pujols. Corey Dickerson plated Carlson on a single. Edmundo Sosa followed with a double to score Dickerson. Sosa came home on a single by Andrew Knizner.
St. Louis added to the 3-1 lead in the seventh on a two-run long ball by Dickerson. Lars Nootbaar thumped a solo home run in the eighth for the final score of 6-1.
Carlson was 3-for-4. Dickerson was 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Nootbaar, Sosa and Knizner each drove in a run.
In the field, Carlson had an outfield assist at second base.
Tuesday, July 12, Cardinals 7, Dodgers 6
The Cardinals squeaked by the Dodgers for a one-run win in the opener of the three-game series at Busch Stadium. Jordan Hicks started as the opener in what became a bullpen game. Hicks pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings with one hit, one strikeout and three walks.
Johan Oviedo relieved Hicks and surrendered one run in 1 1/3 innings. Matthew Libertore, who was originally scheduled to start, allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings pitched. Junior Fernandez relinquished an unearned run while getting the final two outs of the sixth. Fernandez started the seventh and loaded the bases without getting an out. Packy Naughton entered with the bases loaded and no outs and Houdini’d a scoreless inning. Giovanny Gallegos gave up one run in the ninth to earn his 10th save. Oviedo was awarded the win.
The Cardinals put up three runs in the second inning to go ahead. The scoring begam with a solo home run by Albert Pujols, the 685th of his career. Juan Yepez singled and Corey Dickerson followed with a ground rule double. Yepez came home on a wild pitch. Dickerson scored on a single by Andrew Knizner.
The Dodgers scored their first run in the top of the third. The Cardinals answered with another run in the home half on a solo long ball from Nolan Gorman.
St. Louis made it 6-1 in the fourth on RBI singles by Knizner and Nolan Arenado. The Dodgers came back to score two runs in the fifth to cut the lead to 6-3.
Los Angeles chipped away at the lead with one run in the sixth and another in the seventh to make 6-5. The Cardinals responded in the eighth with an insurance run on an RBI single by Knizner. The run was crucial because the Dodgers scored their sixth run in the ninth, but the bullpen held off to win the game 7-6.
Knizner went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Dickerson was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Tommy Edman was 2-for-5. Arenado, Gorman and Pujols each had an RBI.
In the field, Lars Nootbaar made a throwing error. Knizner was charged with catcher interference.
Wednesday, July 13 – Cardinals 6, Dodgers 7
The tables turned on Wednesday night as the Cardinals were the victims of a 7-6 loss at the hands of the Dodgers, snapping their modest three-game winning streak. Adam Wainwright took the mound for St. Louis. The right hander pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowed four hits, struck out five and walked four.
Packy Naughton got the final two outs of the sixth. Drew VerHagen surrendered two runs in the seventh. Genesis Cabrera allowed two runs in the eighth and was replaced with two outs by Junior Fernandez. Fernandez relinquished a run before getting the final out of the inning. Giovanny Gallegos gave up two more runs in the ninth and took the loss. He was also charged with his sixth blown save of the season.
The Cardinals took a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Andrew Knizner singled and Tommy Edman followed with a double. Paul Goldschmidt plated both runners on a single. Nolan Arenado then hit a two-run home run to left field.
St. Louis added to the lead with one run in the fourth on an RBI double by Knizner. In the sixth, the Cardinals made it 6-0 on a single by Lars Nootbaar.
The Dodgers came back against the Cardinals pen with a vengeance after Wainwright and Naughton were finished with the sixth. Los Angeles scored two runs in the seventh, three runs in the eighth, and two more in the ninth. The Cardinals failed to answer. The bullpen meltdown beginning with Cabrera and ending with Gallegos turned a six-run lead into a one run loss.
Nootbaar and Knizner were each 2-for-4 with an RBI. Edman was 2-for-5. Goldschmidt and Arenado each had two RBI.
In the field, Knizner had a passed ball.
Thursday, July 14 – Cardinals 0, Dodgers 4
On Thursday, the Cardinals were blanked by the Dodgers while dropping the home series. Starter Dakota Hudson pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up four runs on six hits, struck out three and walked one. The loss was Hudson’s sixth of the season.
Drew VerHagen relieved and threw 2/3 scoreless innings. T.J. McFarland tossed the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth. They added one run in the sixth and two runs in the seventh. The quiet Cardinals offense scattered five hits, struck out seven times and was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Dylan Carlson was 2-for-3 with a double and Nolan Arenado was 2-for-4 with a double. Paul Goldschmidt had the only other hit.
In the field, Tyler O’Neill had an outfield assist at third base, and Juan Yepez threw Freddie Freeman out at home.
Friday, July 15 – Cardinals 7, Reds 3
The Cardinals beat the Reds in the first of a three-game series at Busch Stadium. Andre Pallante started for St. Louis. The right hander pitched five innings, gave up three runs on six hits, struck out five and walked three to earn his third win of the season.
Giovanny Gallegos relieved and threw a scoreless sixth. Jordan Hicks hurled 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Genesis Cabrera and Ryan Helsley combined to toss the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Helsley earned his eighth save.
The Reds opened with a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Cardinals quickly tied it in the home half. Tommy Edman singled. Dylan Carlson and Paul Goldschmidt each drew a walk. Nolan Arenado plated Edman on a sac fly. Brendan Donovan’s sac fly scored Carlson.
The Cardinals went up 3-2 in the second on an RBI double by Carlson. The Reds tied it at 3-3 in the third.
In the fourth, Nolan Gorman hit a solo home run to give the Cardinals the lead again, 4-3. Corey Dickerson’s single in the sixth brought home Tyler O’Neill for a 5-3 edge.
Carlson and Goldschmidt walked to begin the seventh. Donovan drove in both on a line drive single to left field.
Donovan was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Edman was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Carlson, Arenado, Gorman and Dickerson each had an RBI.
In the field, Carlson had an outfield assist at third base.
Saturday, July 16 – Cardinals 11, Reds 3
The Cardinals shellacked the Reds on Saturday with an 11-3 drubbing in the second game of the series. Miles Mikolas took the mound for St. Louis. Mikolas pitched seven innings, gave up one run on three hits, struck out four and walked one. Mikolas earned his seventh win.
T.J. McFarland relieved and surrendered two unearned runs while getting only one out. Johan Oviedo tossed the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Reds scored one run in the first inning. The Cardinals answered in the home half with two runs. Tommy Edman singled. After two outs were recorded by Dylan Carlson and Paul Goldschmidt, Albert Pujols drew a walk, followed by walks to Tyler O’Neill and Brendan Donovan, which scored Edman. Edmundo Sosa was hit by a pitch to plate Pujols.
The Cardinal added three in the second inning on a two-run long ball by Goldschmidt, the 300th of his career, and a single from Sosa. In the third, a Carlson triple and a Goldschmidt single brought home two more runs to make it 7-1.
Neither team scored through the next three innings. In the seventh, Lars Nootbaar walked, Andrew Knizner singled, and Edman reached on a fielder’s choice with a throwing error. A second fielder’s choice with a throwing error scored Nootbaar and the Cardinals led 8-1.
The Reds managed two more runs in the eighth to make it 8-3. The Cardinals scored three additional runs in the bottom of the eighth on a three-run home run by Nootbaar.
Goldschmidt went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Edman was 2-for-5 with three runs scored. Nootbaar drove in three and Sosa had two RBI. Donovan and Carlson each had an RBI.
On the base paths, Edman stole his 20th base of the season. Sosa swiped his third. In the field, Knizner was charged with catcher interference for the second time in the week, and Donovan made a fielding error.
Sunday, July 17 – Reds at Cardinals (postponed)
Sunday’s game between the Cardinals and Reds was postponed due to rain. Steven Matz’ return from the injured list was delayed as a result. The rescheduled contest will be played as part of a split doubleheader on September 17 at Busch Stadium.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| Milwaukee | 50 | 43 | 0.538 | |
| St. Louis | 50 | 44 | 0.532 | 0.5 |
| Pittsburgh | 39 | 54 | 0.419 | 11 |
| Chicago | 35 | 57 | 0.38 | 14.5 |
| Cincinnati | 34 | 57 | 0.374 | 15 |
The Big Picture
The Cardinals ended the week with a record of 4-2. The team won the final game of the Phillies series, lost of 2 of 3 to the Dodgers and won the first two games of the Reds series. The third game of the Reds series was postponed.
The Cardinals head into the break a half game back of the Brewers, as Milwaukee didn’t fare well against the Giants over the weekend. However, if the season ended today, St. Louis would miss the third Wild Card by percentage points to Philadelphia. The Giants are very close behind.
The offense greatly improved over the previous week. The one shutout by the Dodgers that marred the week, but the offense in the other games was sufficient enough for a winning record.
The pitching, however, regressed to the mean after its improved performance last week. One game against the Dodgers featured a bullpen meltdown that took the game from a 6-0 lead for the Cardinals to a 7-6 loss. As we enter the All-Star Break, the one thing on the mind of the front office right now should be to get pitching help immediately.
Miles Mikolas continues to be the best pitcher in the rotation by a considerable margin. Adam Wainwright is second but the soon to be 41-year-old is showing some wear and tear. It isn’t anything alarming, but his last start wasn’t his best. Dakota Hudson is now on the IL, but it doesn’t appear to be anything concerning, just a sore neck. Steven Matz was scheduled to make his first start back from the IL on Sunday before the game was postponed. The team needs two more starters, as Jack Flaherty is out for a while and Andre Pallante is holding his own but would really be more effective in the bullpen.
The bullpen sorely needs an overhaul. Aside from Ryan Helsley, and Packy Naughton for the moment, the rest of the bullpen has shown some warts, some more than others. T.J. McFarland, recently returned from the Covid IL is no better than he was before he left. Drew VerHagen made two short appearances and is back on the IL. Giovanny Gallegos blew another save and for at least the time being Oli Marmol has taken him out of the back end of the game and is using him in lower leverage situations. Genesis Cabrera has been inconsistent and has shown something of a bad attitude lately. It appears that it might have been taken care of, but time will tell. Junior Fernandez is also inconsistent. There just isn’t sufficient stability in that bullpen right now.
Back to the offense, the top performers for the week by OPS are mostly role players stepping up – Lars Nootbaar (1.745 in 10 ABs), Edmundo Sosa (1.171 in 5 ABs), Andrew Knizner (1.062 in 15 ABs), Corey Dickerson (1.000 in 15 ABs), Nolan Arenado (.990 in 13 ABs) and Dylan Carlson (.907 in 23 ABs).
At the bottom is Austin Romine (.200 in 4 ABs), and (Juan Yepez (.347 in 8 ABs) who is now on the IL. Tyler O’Neill is .585 in 10 ABs, but he is just back from the IL. Paul Goldschmidt dropped to .602 in 24 ABs.
After the All-Star Break, the Cardinals open with the Reds in Cincinnati. They just finished beating the Reds in two games at Busch Stadium, but there is never any predictability when it comes to playing Cincinnati. Before this last weekend, the Reds had won series against both the Rays and the Yankees. In other words, that team can beat you anytime, anyplace.
Mikolas added as All-Star, Arenado bows out
Since the original picks for the All-Star Game came out last week, there have been some changes. Nolan Arenado made the decision not to participate due to a nagging back injury. He was replaced by Austin Riley of the Braves.
On Sunday it was announced that Cardinals right-handed starting pitcher Miles Mikolas was added to the roster in replacement of the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes. 2022 is Mikolas’ second All-Star selection, joining 2018.
The other Cardinals selections, Paul Goldschmidt, Albert Pujols, and Ryan Helsley will be participating as of this writing.
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
- 7/11 The Cardinals optioned LHP Zack Thompson to the Memphis Redbirds
- 7/11 The Cardinals transferred RHP Jack Flaherty from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
- 7/11 The Cardinals activated LHP T.J. McFarland from the Covid injured list.
- 7/13 The Cardinals optioned LHP Matthew Liberatore to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/13 The Cardinals activated RHP Drew VerHagen from the 10-day injured list.
- 7/14 The Cardinals optioned OF Lars Nootbaar to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/14 The Cardinals activated LF Tyler O’Neill from the 10-day injured list.
- 7/15 The Cardinals recalled OF Lars Nootbaar from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/15 The Cardinals recalled LHP Zack Thompson from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 7/15 The Cardinals placed 1B Juan Yepez on the 10-day injured list. Right forearm strain.
- 7/15 The Cardinals placed RHP Dakota Hudson on the 15-day injured list. Neck strain.
Injury Report
- RHP Alex Reyes (frayed right labrum) remains on the 60-day IL. The right hander received a second opinion and has had surgery on the shoulder. Whether the injury is season-ending is yet to be determined.
- LHP Steven Matz (left shoulder stiffness) was activated from the 15-day injured list to start in Sunday’s game against the Reds, but his return to action was put on hold when the game was postponed.
- C Yadier Molina (right knee inflammation) was placed on the 10-day injured list on June 17, retroactive to June 16. Molina is rehabbing in Puerto Rico. The catcher is expected to be sent on a rehab assignment during the last week of July and return to the roster in early August.
- LF Tyler O’Neill was activated from the 10-day injured list and started in the Reds series.
- LHP T.J. McFarland was activated from the Covid list.
- RHP Drew VerHagen was activated from the 15-day injured list. After making an appearance out of the bullpen against the Dodgers on Wednesday and Thursday, the right hander was placed on the 15-day injured list again on Sunday, retroactive to July 15. The placement was due to the same ailment for which he had gone on the injured list previously, right hip impingement.
- RHP Jack Flaherty (right shoulder strain) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. The right hander is out for an indeterminate time.
- CF Harrison Bader was placed on the 10-day injured list on June 27. Right foot plantar fasciitis. The outfielder has been going through conditioning and light baseball activity. He is still bothered by lingering pain with his return uncertain.
- RHP Dakota Hudson was placed on the 15-day injured list on July 15 with a neck strain. Hudson was not scheduled to pitch until after the All-Star Break. No date for a return has been announced.
- 1B Juan Yepez was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 15 with a right forearm strain. Yepez incurred the injury on a throw from the outfield in a game against the Dodgers. No date for a return has been announced, but he could be out from 10 days to three weeks.
- 3B Nolan Arenado has been bothered by lingering back pain over the last several weeks. Arenado has not been placed on the injured list but has bowed out of the All-Star Game in order to rest. The 3B was not in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Reds but returned in the role of DH for the game on Sunday.
Looking Ahead
The homestand concluded on Sunday with the final game of the series with the Reds. The All-Star Break begins on Monday.
After the Break, the second half of the season begins on Friday, July 22 in Cincinnati with a weekend series against the Reds. No pitching probables have been announced as the rotation may be adjusted for the second half.
After a Monday, July 25 travel day, the team goes to Toronto for two games. There is no game on Thursday as the team travels to the final destination of the month of July – Washington D.C. – to face the Nationals in a weekend series.
A homestand begins the month of August with three games with the Cubs and a weekend set with the Yankees.
After an off day on Monday, August 8, the Cardinals make a brief road trip to Denver to play the Rockies for three.
The regular season schedule can be found here.
Blast from the Past
The 92nd MLB All-Star Game will take place this week, on Tuesday, July 19. The annual All-Star Game began in 1933 and has occurred annually since, except for two seasons when it was cancelled. The first time was in 1945 due to World War II travel restrictions, and the second time was in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Cardinals have sent from eight players (1943) to only one (1938, 1965, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2007, and 2019).
This week’s Blast highlights memorable All-Star games during the period July 11 through July 17 in which a Cardinal player made contributions to the outcome.
On July 11, 1950, the All-Star Game was held at Comiskey Park. The Cardinals sent four players that year, Mary Marion, Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, and Enos Slaughter.
This contest went 14 innings. The NL took the lead 2-0 in the second inning when Enos Slaughter hits a triple that scores the first run. Slaughter then scored the second run on a single by Hank Sauer of the Cubs.
The AL took the lead with one run in the third and two runs in the fifth. The NL tied it in the ninth. The game remained tied until the 14th inning when Red Schoendienst hit the game winning home run in the top of the 14th. The NL won the game 4-3.
The Cardinals sent five players to the 1953 All-Star Game at Crosley Field in Cincinnati on July 14. They were pitcher Harvey Haddix, Stan Musial, Del Rice, Red Schoendienst and Enos Slaughter. The NL won the game 5-1. Slaughter had two hits, scored twice, and robbed a hit in the outfield.
The 1955 All-Star Game was held on July 12 at County Stadium in Milwaukee. This was also an extra innings game. The Cardinals again sent four players, pitcher Harvey Haddix, pitcher Luis Arroyo, Stan Musial and Red Schoendienst.
The AL took a 4-0 lead in the first inning and added a fifth run in the sixth. The NL made a comeback beginning in the seventh and tied it at 5-5 by the eighth.
In the bottom of the 12th, Stan Musial took the first at bat. It was reported that Musial had a conversation with catcher Yogi Berra in which Berra imparted that his feet hurt. Musial allegedly responded that Berra shouldn’t worry, he (Musial) would have him home in a minute. Musial then hit the game winning home run to give the NL the win 6-5.
In 1965, coming off the 1964 championship, the Cardinals sent only one player to the All-Star Game, pitcher Bob Gibson. Playing in Metropolitan Stadium in Minnesota, the NL won, 6-5.
Gibson contributed by closing out the game with two scoreless innings after Willie Mays scored the winning run in the seventh on a single by Ron Santo. Gibson faced five batters in the eighth. He struck out Willie Horton, got the second out on a ground out, and after a walk and a single, got the final out on a fly ball to center field.
In the ninth, Gibson gave up a lead off double, then retired the next hitter on a pop fly. He then struck out Harmon Killebrew and Joe Pepitone to end the game.
In the 2009 All-Star Game, held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, the NL lost to the AL 4-3. This was notable for being the first All-Star Game held at the new Busch Stadium and for having the first African-American President of the United States, Barack Obama, throw out the first pitch. Three Cardinals participated in this game, Ryan Franklin, Albert Pujols, and Yadier Molina. Molina drove in two of the NL’s three runs in the bottom of the second inning on a line drive single to center.
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