photo: Willson Contreras (USA TODAY Sports)
The St. Louis Cardinals won both series last week, evening their season record at 5-5. When the starters have pitched well, the pen has held the lead. Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan paced the offense. Our history feature returns to selected Opening Days of the past.
Game recaps
Monday, April 1, 2024 – Cardinals 6 at Padres 2
The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Monday in the first of a three-game series. Starter Kyle Gibson pitched seven innings, gave up two runs on four hits, struck out four and walked two. The right hander earned his first win as a Cardinal.
JoJo Romero relieved Gibson and threw a scoreless eighth. Ryan Helsley tossed a scoreless ninth.
The Cardinals went up 3-0 in the first inning. It began with a single by Brendan Donovan. Donovan advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a double by Nolan Arenado. Willson Contreras then hit a two-run home run to center field.
St. Louis added a run in the second to increase the lead to 4-0. Donovan doubled and came home on a single by Paul Goldschmidt.
The Padres got on the board with one run in the third inning. The Cardinals widened their lead to 6-1 with two runs in sixth. Masyn Winn singled and stole second base. Donovan blasted a two-run home run to right field.
The Padres cut the lead to 6-2 in the home half of the sixth.
St. Louis’ offense scored six runs on 14 hits. Donovan went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Arenado was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Matt Carpenter, Jordan Walker, and Winn were each 2-for-5. Contreras had two RBI.
Winn stole his first base of the season.
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 – Cardinals 5 at Padres 2
The Cardinals prevailed over the Padres in the second game of the series on Tuesday. Starter Miles Mikolas pitched six innings, gave up two runs on seven hits, struck out four and walked one to earn his first win of the season.
Giovanny Gallegos relieved Mikolas and threw a scoreless seventh. Andrew Kittredge hurled a scoreless eighth and Ryan Helsley tossed a scoreless ninth.
The Padres got on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning. St. Louis quickly tied it up in the third. Victor Scott II doubled and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Michael Siani. He came home on a sac fly by Masyn Winn.
The Padres retook the lead 2-1 in the fourth, but the Cardinals scored twice in the sixth to go up 3-2. Brendan Donovan walked and was driven in by Willson Contreras’ home run.
The Cardinals increased the lead to 5-2 in the eighth. Donovan singled. Paul Goldschmidt and Contreras walked. Nolan Arenado reached on a fielder’s choice and Donovan crossed home on a fielding error. Goldschmidt scored on a sac fly by Ivan Herrera.
The offense scored five runs on six hits. Donovan was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Contreras had two RBI.
Wednesday, April 3, 2024 – Cardinals 2 at Padres 3
The Cardinals lost the final game of the series to the Padres on Wednesday. Starter Zack Thompson pitched five innings, gave up three runs on five hits, struck out five and walked four. Thompson took the loss, his second of the season.
Matthew Liberatore relieved Thompson and threw a scoreless sixth. Andre Pallante hurled a scoreless seventh and Ryan Fernandez tossed a scoreless eighth.
The Padres scored one run in the first inning and made it 2-0 in the second.
The Cardinals answered with one run in the top of the fourth. Willson Contreras doubled and came home on a single by Nolan Arenado.
San Diego made it 3-1 in the home fourth. The Cardinals cut the lead to 3-2 in the eighth. Victor Scott II and Brendan Donovan were hit by pitches. Paul Goldschmidt grounded into a force out and Scott came home on a throwing error. However, the rally ended there.
The Cardinals scored two runs on six hits. Ivan Herrera was 2-for-4. Arenado had the only RBI.
On the base paths, Donovan and Arenado were caught stealing.
Thursday, April 4, 2024 – Cardinals 8, Marlins 5
The Cardinals beat the Marlins in the home opener at Busch Stadium on Thursday. Starter Lance Lynn pitched 4 2/3 innings, gave up four runs on eight hits, including three home runs, struck out seven and walked one.
Matthew Liberatore surrendered one run in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Andre Pallante threw 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Giovanny Gallegos secured the final out of the seventh. JoJo Romero and Ryan Helsley each tossed a scoreless inning. Gallegos received the win, his first of the season. Helsley earned his second save.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a solo home run by Ivan Herrera, the first of his MLB career. The Marlins tied the game in the fourth, then took the lead 4-1 in the top of the fifth.
In the home fifth, St. Louis cut the lead to 4-3. Michael Siani was hit by a pitch. Victor Scott II reached on a fielder’s choice and Siani advanced to third on a throwing error. Siani scored on a ground out by Paul Goldschmidt. Nolan Arenado doubled to plate Scott.
The Marlins widened their lead to 5-3 in the sixth, but the Cardinals added five runs in the seventh to take the lead 8-5. Goldschmidt reached on an error. Arenado singled. Ivan Herrera singled and Goldschmidt scored. Nolan Gorman plated Arenado and Herrera on a double. Gorman came home on a single by Alec Burleson. Masyn Winn tripled to bring in Burleson.
The Cardinals scored eight runs on 10 hits. Arenado was 3-for-5 with an RBI. Herrera was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Winn was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Gorman drove in two and Burleson and Goldschmidt each plated one.
Friday, April 5, 2024 – Off day
Saturday, April 6, 2024 – Cardinals 3, Marlins 1
The Cardinals prevailed in the second game of the home series with the Marlins on Saturday. Starter Steven Matz pitched five scoreless innings, allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one to earn his first win of the season.
Giovanny Gallegos relieved Matz and threw a scoreless sixth. JoJo Romero hurled a scoreless seventh. Andrew Kittredge surrendered one run in the eighth. Ryan Helsley tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his third save.
The game was scoreless until the fourth inning, when the Cardinals put up two runs. Ivan Herrera singled. Nolan Gorman drew a walk. Jordan Walker doubled to score Herrera. Alec Burleson hit into a fielder’s choice and Gorman was thrown out at home. Burleson was out at second on a force out by Masyn Winn. Walker came home on a pickoff error.
St. Louis added a third run in the fifth. Brendan Donovan doubled and later was driven in on a single by Herrera.
The Marlins scored their only run in the eighth.
The Cardinals scored three runs on eight hits. Herrera was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Donovan was 2-for-3.
On the base paths, Winn was caught stealing for the first time.
Sunday, April 7, 2024 – Cardinals 3, Marlins 10
The Cardinals handed the Marlins their first win of the season, as the visitors broke their 0-9 losing streak on Sunday. Starter Kyle Gibson pitched poorly for the first two innings but rebounded to go six innings. Gibson allowed seven runs on seven hits, including a pair of three-run long balls, struck out five and walked one. Gibson took the loss.
Ryan Fernandez surrendered three runs, two earned in 1 1/3 innings of relief. John King tossed the final 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Marlins led from the start with six runs in the first inning and a seventh run in the second.
The Cardinals finally scored in the fifth on a solo home run by Nolan Gorman. The Marlins widened the blowout in the seventh and eighth with three more runs against Fernandez.
After a ninth inning rain delay, the Cardinals returned in the bottom of the ninth with two more runs. Michael Siani tripled and scored on Gorman’s home run.
Gorman went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. The Siani triple and a Jordan Walker double were the only other extra base hits.
In the field, Masyn Winn made a throwing error and Brendan Donovan had a fielding miscue. The errors were the first of the season for the Cardinals.
The Big Picture
The Cardinals won both series last week, going 4-2. They took 2 of 3 from the Padres and Marlins. The Cardinals’ season record now stands at 5-5 though they remain in last place in the NL Central, three games behind the Pirates and a half game back of the fourth place Reds.
The offense fell off somewhat this past week. The team came into Sunday’s game with a positive run differential, but the Sunday blowout put them back in the negative column.
The top offensive players over the last seven days are Willson Contreras (1.649) and Brendan Donovan (1.511). Contreras hit two-run home runs in consecutive games. Paul Goldschmidt had a tough week offensively, dropping down to a .423 OPS for the week. Farther in the basement are Alec Burleson (.321) and Victor Scott (.216). Scott’s tenure with the big-league club may be coming to an end soon, as at least one outfielder, Lars Nootbaar, will be returning to the team, likely on Monday. Tommy Edman and Dylan Carlson look to be some weeks away from their return.
The starting rotation will be getting a boost this week also, with the arrival of Sonny Gray to pitch on Tuesday against the Phillies. The rotation needs the boost, as Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz were the only starters with an ERA under 4.00 over the past week. Kyle Gibson came into this last start looking good but his clunker on Sunday sent his ERA plummeting to 6.23. Matz has been an unexpected boost, with two very good starts, making his ERA the best of the rotation at 1.74.
The bullpen has been the bright spot of this team so far (knock on wood).
The Cardinals have a tough week coming up, with a series against the Phillies to start the week and ending with the 2023 NL Champion Diamondbacks over the weekend.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| Pittsburgh | 8 | 2 | 0.800 | |
| Milwaukee | 6 | 2 | 0.750 | 1 |
| Chicago | 6 | 3 | 0.667 | 1.5 |
| Cincinnati | 5 | 4 | 0.556 | 2.5 |
| St. Louis | 5 | 5 | 0.500 | 3 |
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
- 4/2 The Cardinals sent LF Lars Nootbaar on a rehab assignment to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 4/4 The Cardinals recalled C Pedro Pagés from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 4/4 The Cardinals placed DH Matt Carpenter on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 2. Right oblique strain.
Injury Report
- CF Tommy Edman (arthroscopic wrist surgery) was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 25. Edman has not hit off live pitching since late in the 2023 season. Edman had an MRI on Wednesday, and “got good news”. However, Edman continues to suffer from pain in the wrist and has not engaged in any baseball activities. He will have the wrist examined on Monday, April 8 and could be cleared to resume baseball activities. At this point an early May return is still the hope.
- LF Lars Nootbaar (two non-displaced rib fractures) was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 25. Nootbaar was sent on a rehab assignment with the Memphis Redbirds and has played in four games in Indianapolis. He may be activated as soon as Monday.
- RHP Sonny Gray (right hamstring) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 25. Gray pitched in a simulated game in Springfield on Wednesday, April 3. Gray will skip a rehab start in Memphis and instead start Tuesday’s game against the Phillies. Left-hander Zack Thompson, with a 6.97 ERA in two starts, will return to the bullpen.
- RHP Keynan Middleton (right forearm strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 25. Middleton received a PRP injection in his right arm on April 6. He will have 72 hours of no activity and a week without throwing.
- LHP Drew Rom (left bicep tendinitis) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 25. The left hander will need several rehab assignments before he returns to the roster.
- CF Dylan Carlson (left AC joint sprain) was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 26. Carlson received a pain-killing injection in his left shoulder. The OF is progressing slowly and has not returned to baseball activities.
- RHP Riley O’Brien (right forearm flexor strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list on March 31 retroactive to March 29. O’Brien had an MRI on the right forearm that revealed no structural damage. A potential early May return is possible.
- DH Matt Carpenter (right oblique strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 2. The earliest possible return for Carpenter is April 12.
- C Willson Contreras (left hand contusion) was hit by a pitch on the hand in Wednesday’s game against the Padres. Contreras has some soreness remaining in the hand and was held out of the Marlins series over the weekend.
- LF Brendan Donovan (right elbow swelling) was hit twice by pitches in Wednesday’s game against the Padres. Donovan was held out of Thursday’s home opener against the Marlins but returned to the lineup on Saturday.
Looking Ahead
Starting Monday, the Phillies come to town for a three-game series. Miles Mikolas is set to make the Monday start, followed by Sonny Gray on Tuesday, and Lance Lynn on Wednesday.
The Cardinals have a travel day on Thursday, April 11, to meet the Diamondbacks in Phoenix for a weekend series. The West Coast trip continues to Oakland for three against the Athletics.
The team returns to St. Louis on Thursday, April 18. A three-game set with the Brewers starts Friday, April 19. The homestand continues with the Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium beginning Monday, April 22 for three.
Blast from the Past
The 2024 Cardinals played their first series on the road against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The Cardinals have had 125 years of opening days since they officially became the Cardinals in 1900.
In honor of Opening Day 2024, Blast from the Past recognizes 13 Opening Days, starting with 1900 and the first year of each decade after. This second and final installment covers opening days in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020.
The team played for that opening series, the opening day starting lineups (where available), and the results of each series will be highlighted. The list of Opening Days follows.
April 12-13, 1960 – The Cardinals played the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park in a two-game series. They lost both, 3-1, and 6-1. The Cardinals followed with three in Los Angeles with the Dodgers. The home opener was on April 19 against the Cubs. The Cardinals lost all five games on the road but won the home opener 5-2.
The opening day lineup in San Francisco was RF Joe Cunningham, SS Daryl Spencer, CF Bill White, 3B Ken Boyer, 1B Stan Musial, LF Leon Wagner, C Hal Smith, 2B Alex Grammas, and P Larry Jackson.
April 8-9, 1970 – The Cardinals opened with two games with the Expos in Montreal. The Cardinals won both by a 7-3 score. The home opener was on April 10 against the Mets, which they also won 7-3.
The opening day lineup in Montreal was LF Lou Brock, CF José Cardenal, 3B Dick Allen, C Joe Torre, RF Leron Lee, 1B Joe Haque, 2B Julián Javier, SS Dal Maxvill, and P Bob Gibson.
April 10-13, 1980 – The Cardinals faced the Pittsburgh Pirates at home in a four-game series. The Cardinals won the opener 1-0, but lost the final three games 4-3, 7-2, and 3-0.
The opening day lineup at Busch Stadium on April 10 was SS Garry Templeton, 2B Ken Oberkfell, 1B Keith Hernandez, C Ted Simmons, LF Bobby Bonds, RF George Hendrick, CF Tony Scott, 3B Ken Reitz, and Pete Vuckovich.
April 9-11, 1990 – The Cardinals played the Montreal Expos at Busch Stadium for three games. The Cardinals won the first two games 6-5 and 4-2 but lost the last game 6-4.
The opening day lineup at Busch Stadium on April 9 was LF Vince Coleman, CF Willie McGee, C Todd Zeile, 1B Pedro Guerrero, 3B Terry Pendleton, RF Tom Brunansky, SS Ozzie Smith, 2B José Oquendo, P Joe Magrane.
April 3-6, 2000 – The Cardinals welcomed the Chicago Cubs to Busch Stadium in a three-game set. The Cardinals swept the Cubs by scores of 7-1, 10-4, and 13-3.
The opening day lineup at Busch Stadium on April 3 was 2B Fernando Viña, SS Edgar Rentería, LF Ray Lankford, 3B Fernando Tatís, CF Jim Edmonds, 1B Craig Paquette, RF Eric Davis, C Mike Matheny, and P Daryl Kile.
April 5-8, 2010 – The Cardinals visited the Cincinnati Reds in a three-game series. The Cardinals won 11-6 and 6-3 but lost the finale 2-1. The home opener was on April 12 against the Houston Astros, a game they won 5-0.
The opening day lineup in Cincinnati on April 5 was 2B Skip Schumaker, SS Brendan Ryan, 1B Albert Pujols, LF Matt Holliday, CF Colby Rasmus, RF Ryan Ludwick, C Yadier Molina, 3B David Freese, and P Chris Carpenter.
July 24-26, 2020 – The 2020 season was shortened to 60 games due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Opening day was at Busch Stadium against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the three-game series, the Cardinals won the first two, 5-4 and 9-1 but dropped the finale, 5-1.
The opening day lineup at Busch Stadium on July 24 was 2B Kolten Wong, 3B Tommy Edman, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, SS Paul DeJong, DH Matt Carpenter, C Yadier Molina, RF Dexter Fowler, LF Tyler O’Neill, CF Harrison Bader, and P Jack Flaherty.
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