photo: Nolan Gorman and Willson Contreras (Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports)
Both of the St. Louis Cardinals’ wins for the week averted a series sweep as the club has fallen to four games under .500 and 6.5 games out in the division. Willson Contreras and Nolan Gorman paced the offense, but the starting pitching has yet to stabilize. Our history feature highlights first base coach Stubby Clapp.
Game Recaps
Monday, April 17 – Cardinals 3, Diamondbacks 6
The St. Louis Cardinals were defeated by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first game of a three-game series at Busch Stadium on Monday. Starter Jack Flaherty pitched six innings, gave up four runs on four hits, struck out four and walked three. The right hander took the loss, his second of the season.
Andre Pallante relieved Flaherty and surrendered two runs in the seventh. Genesis Cabrera tossed the final two scoreless innings.
The Diamondbacks went up 1-0 in the first inning. That held until the sixth, when the Cardinals tied the score. Brendan Donovan singled and later scored on a double by Willson Contreras.
Arizona put up a five-run seventh to regain the lead. In the eighth, St. Louis added two runs on a home run by Alec Burleson to cut the lead to 6-3, which became the final score.
The Cardinals offense scored three runs on six hits. Contreras was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Burleson had two RBI.
On the base paths, Contreras stole his second base of the season.
Tuesday, April 18 – Cardinals 7, Diamondbacks 8
The Cardinals lost to the Diamondbacks in the second game of the series on Tuesday. Starter Jordan Montgomery had his first subpar start of the season. The left hander pitched four innings, gave up seven runs on 10 hits and struck out two. Montgomery took the loss, his second.
Chris Stratton relieved Montgomery and surrendered one run in 2 1/3 innings. JoJo Romero threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Jordan Hicks tossed a scoreless ninth.
St. Louis took an early lead with one run each in the first and second innings. It began with a solo home run by Paul Goldschmidt. Tyler O’Neill doubled and scored on a single by Lars Nootbaar in the second.
Arizona cut the Cardinals lead to 2-1 in the third. A big six-run fourth catapulted the Diamondbacks to a 7-2 lead.
The Cardinals attempted to chip away with a run in the sixth on a double by Dylan Carlson. Another St. Louis run came home in the seventh on a solo home run by Willson Contreras.
St. Louis attempted a final rally in the ninth, scoring three runs but falling one run short of a tie and two of a walk off win. The rally began with a Nootbaar walk. Paul Goldschmidt followed with a double. Nootbaar scored on a ground out by Alec Burleson. Contreras then hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot.
Contreras was 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Goldschmidt was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Tyler O’Neill was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
In the field, O’Neill had an outfield assist at second base.
Wednesday, April 19 – Cardinals 14, Diamondbacks 5
The Cardinals avoided another sweep by flogging the Diamondbacks 14-5 in the third game of the series. Starter Jake Woodford pitched five innings, gave up four runs on seven hits, struck out one and walked one to earn his first win of the season.
Zack Thompson relieved Woodford and threw a scoreless sixth. Drew VerHagen hurled a scoreless seventh. Genesis Cabrera surrendered one run in the eighth. Jordan Hicks tossed a scoreless ninth.
The Cardinals put three runs on the board in the first inning. The first run came on back-to-back doubles by Tommy Edman and Dylan Carlson. Carlson stole third base and came home on a throwing error. Nolan Arenado drew a walk and scored on a double by Willson Contreras.
Arizona responded with two outs in the second to cut the lead to 3-2. The Diamondbacks tied it in the top of the third.
In the bottom of the third, the Cardinals scored four runs to regain the lead at 7-3. Contreras led off with a walk. Tyler O’Neill followed with a double. Jordan Walker singled to score Contreras. Tommy Edman hit a three-run home run to left field.
The Diamondbacks pulled to within 7-4 in the fourth. In the fifth, St. Louis plated three more runs. Walker singled and Andrew Knizner walked. Edman tripled to score Walker and Knizner. Edman scored on a single by Dylan Carlson.
St. Louis added four additional runs in the sixth to make it 14-4. Walks by Contreras, O’Neill and Walker loaded the bases. Nolan Gorman then hit a grand slam to right center field.
The Diamondbacks added one final run in the eighth.
Edman was 3-for-4 with five RBI and three runs scored. He was a single short of a cycle. Carlson was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Contreras was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Walker was 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. Gorman had four RBI.
On the base paths, Carlson and Arenado each stole their first base of the season. Walker swiped his second bag.
In the field, Edman made a throwing error.
Thursday, April 20 – Off day
Friday, April 21 – Cardinals 2 at Mariners 5
In the first game of a weekend series in Seattle, the Cardinals fell to the Mariners 5-2 on Friday. Starter Steven Matz pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up four runs on four hits, struck out seven and walked two. The left hander suffered his third loss of the season.
Drew VerHagen relieved Matz and surrendered one run in 2/3 innings. JoJo Romero threw a scoreless seventh and Chris Stratton tossed a scoreless eighth.
The Cardinals took an early lead, scoring two runs in the second inning. Nolan Arenado singled and Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch. Jordan Walker doubled to plate Arenado and Contreras.
The Cardinals did not score again.
The Mariners cut the lead to 2-1 in the home half of the second. They added one run in the fourth and three runs in the sixth.
The St. Louis offense scored two runs on only three hits. Only Walker had an extra base hit.
Saturday, April 22 – Cardinals 4 at Mariners 5
The Cardinals were edged by the Mariners in the second game of the series in Seattle. Starter Miles Mikolas pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up three runs on five hits, struck out four and walked two.
Zack Thompson relieved Mikolas and surrendered two runs in 2/3 innings. Giovanny Gallegos threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Genesis Cabrera got the final two outs of the eighth.
St. Louis got on the board first with one run in the first inning. The game began with back-to-back singles by Lars Nootbaar and Alec Burleson. Nolan Arenado plated Nootbaar on a single.
Seattle tied it in the second. The Cardinals regained the lead with two runs in the third on a double by Willson Contreras.
In the sixth, the Mariners tied it for the second time at 3-3, then took the lead 5-2 in the seventh. The Cardinals attempted a rally in the ninth and scored one run on a solo long ball by Tommy Edman.
Contreras and Edman were both 2-for-4 with an RBI. Burleson was 2-for-4.
On the base paths, Edman stole his second base of the season.
Sunday, April 23 – Cardinals 7 at Mariners 3
The Cardinals avoided being swept with a 7-3 victory at Seattle on Sunday. Starter Jack Flaherty pitched six innings, gave up three runs on five hits, struck out nine and walked two to earn his second win of the season.
Genesis Cabrera relieved Flaherty and got the first out of the seventh. He was replaced after a pitch clock violation with Ryan Helsley. Helsley threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Giovanny Gallegos tossed a scoreless ninth.
St. Louis took an initial two-run lead in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Lars Nootbaar hit a solo home run. Paul Goldschmidt singled and Nolan Gorman singled. Gorman was caught stealing and Goldschmidt scored from third on the throw.
Seattle quickly came back and scored three runs in the second to take the lead. The Cardinals tied it in the third. Goldschmidt walked and Willson Contreras also walked. Tyler O’Neill singled to plate Goldschmidt.
In the fourth, the Cardinals took a 6-3 lead. Andrew Knizner and Nootbaar each singled. Nolan Gorman then blasted a three-run home run to right center field.
St. Louis added a seventh run in the seventh on a solo home run by Paul DeJong.
Gorman was 2-for-4 and drove in three. DeJong was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Nootbaar was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.
On the base paths, Gorman and Nolan Arenado were both caught stealing. In the field, O’Neill made a throwing error.
The Big Picture
The Cardinals did not have a good week, going 2-4 in two series against the Diamondbacks and the Mariners. In both series the Cardinals lost the first two games and won the final game. This is not a winning strategy.
In the division, St. Louis continues to fall behind with the Brewers, Pirates and Cubs all playing well. There is plenty of time left but the Cardinals have to get it going soon or risk falling too far behind to catch up.
On paper, the Cardinals have one of the best offenses in the game, but have lacked cohesion and consistency. The middle of the order hitters have not put it together completely. Willson Contreras slumped for much of the first few weeks of the season but has improved over the last week or so. On the other hand, Paul Goldschmidt has been all over the place and Nolan Arenado is slumping. The one player who has been consistently on target is Nolan Gorman.
The top performers over the last seven days by OPS are Contreras (1.489), Tommy Edman (1.325), Gorman (.965) and Lars Nootbaar (.825). At the bottom are Arenado (.310) and Brendan Donovan (.393).
The starting pitching continues to be a weakness rather than a strength. Jack Flaherty pitched much better in his last start on Sunday. Jordan Montgomery had his worst start so far on Tuesday. Steven Matz and Miles Mikolas have not pitched their best. Jake Woodford has been okay but is just a place holder for Adam Wainwright, who will be returning soon.
The bullpen has been mostly fine with some hiccups at the margins. The back end of the pen in Helsley and Gallegos are both fine. The middle innings guys have not been as good. Andre Pallante didn’t pitch well and was sent down to Memphis. Jordan Hicks, who was the worst performer by far in the beginning, was moved out of late inning work and pitched better in his last couple of appearances. Zack Thompson started well but has faltered recently. The rest are hit and miss.
The defense is good on the infield, but still not so good in the outfield. The merry-go-round of O’Neill, Carlson, Nootbaar, Walker and Burleson just has not measured up. It appears the O’Neill experiment in center field is on pause for the time being. Carlson and Nootbaar have received most of the time there. Because Carlson hasn’t hit from the left side, he is unable to cement that spot. Neither Walker nor Burleson are options. Walker is playing right field and his routes on many balls are awkward. It is a new position for the former third baseman, so some patience is required. O’Neill is better in left field, and perhaps should remain there.
The Cardinals continue the West Coast road trip with four games in San Francisco. The Giants have basically the same record as the Cardinals, so that series is likely a tossup. The trip ends in Los Angeles with the Dodgers, who haven’t played up to their potential so far, but are still a tough team to beat.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Pittsburgh | 16 | 7 | 0.696 | |
| Milwaukee | 15 | 7 | 0.682 | 0.5 |
| Chicago | 12 | 9 | 0.571 | 3 |
| St. Louis | 9 | 13 | 0.409 | 6.5 |
| Cincinnati | 7 | 15 | 0.318 | 8.5 |
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade and acquisition rumors.
Transactions
- 4/18 The Cardinals optioned RHP Andre Pallante to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 4/18 The Cardinals recalled LHP JoJo Romero from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 4/19 The Cardinals sent RHP Adam Wainwright on a rehab assignment to the Springfield Cardinals.
- 4/20 The Cardinals sent RHP Wilking Rodriguez on a rehab assignment to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 4/23 The Cardinals activated SS Paul DeJong from the 10-day injured list.
- 4/23 The Cardinals designated INF Taylor Motter for assignment.
Injury Report
- SS Paul DeJong (back pain) has been activated from the 10-day injured list.
- RHP Adam Wainwright (groin strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 27. Wainwright has made one rehab start with Double-A Springfield and is scheduled for a second start on Tuesday, location to be announced.
- RHP Wilking Rodriguez (right shoulder strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 27. Rodriguez made one-inning scoreless rehab appearances with Memphis on both Thursday and Sunday.
- LHP Packy Naughton (left forearm strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 8. Naughton had an MRI which showed no internal damage. Manager Oli Marmol stated that Naughton’s return is subject to when his forearm strain heals.
Looking Ahead
The Mariners series ended on Sunday. The road trip continues in San Francisco versus the Giants in a four-game series. Jordan Montgomery is set to make the Monday start with Jake Woodford going on Wednesday. The pitchers for the final two games will be Steven Matz and Miles Mikolas.
The road trip concludes with a weekend series with the Dodgers in Los Angeles. The Month of May begins with a home stand at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals take on the Angels in a three-game set. A weekend series with the Tigers follows.
The team goes on the road again, beginning with three games at Wrigley Field. After a travel day on Thursday, May 11, the Cardinals play the Red Sox in a weekend series at Fenway Park.
Blast from the Past
This week’s Blast from the Past continues a series showcasing the major league coaching staff of the Cardinals. Each week we present a brief biography of one member of the coaching staff as well as a summary of the member’s playing career if applicable.
This sixth installment profiles First Base Coach Stubby Clapp. The duties of the First Base Coach are to relay signals from the dugout to baserunners and to time up pitchers to aid baserunners in stealing.
Richard Keith “Stubby” Clapp was born on February 24, 1973, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Clapp graduated from Riverside Secondary School in Windsor. As a young man he was a two-sport athlete, excelling in both baseball and hockey.
Clapp attended Paris Junior College in Paris, TX and Texas Tech University. Clapp was drafted by the Cardinals in the 36th round in 1996. He played in the Cardinals minor league system from 1996 to 2001 and made his major league debut with St. Louis on June 8, 2001. He remained with the Cardinals for the remainder of the 2001 season, appearing in 23 games. Clapp was a second baseman, left fielder, and pinch-hitter.
Clapp returned to the minor leagues for the 2002 season. He played for the Braves AAA team in 2003 and for the Toronto AAA and AA teams in 2004 before ending his playing career.
Clapp was part of the Canadian team for the 1999 Pan-American Games and hit the game winning single against the US. He also played for Team Canada in the 2004 Summer Olympics and for Team Canada in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Clapp was a popular member of the Memphis Redbirds during his four years there. He was often referred to as the “Mayor of Memphis”. Clapp’s uniform #10 was the first jersey retired by the Redbirds in 2007.
Clapp began his coaching career with the Houston Astros A ball team, then moved up to Houston’s AA affiliate as the hitting coach. He was the manager of the Astros A affiliate, the Tri-City Valley Cats, in 2011 and 2012.
He moved on to the Toronto Blue Jays as a minor league hitting coach in 2013-2014. Clapp was the third base coach for the Canada National Baseball Team in the 2015 Pan-American Games.
In 2016 the Cardinals hired Clapp to manage the Memphis Redbirds. He led the Redbirds to the Pacific Coast League Championship and was named PCL Manager of the Year. He was named Manager of the Year by Baseball America, the first Cardinal manager to be so named.
Clapp again took the Redbirds to the PCL title in 2018 and then went on to defeat the Durham Bulls for the AAA Championship. He was named the PCL Manager of the Year in 2018.
The Cardinals hired Clapp as the major league team’s first base coach in October 2018. He continues in that position to the present time.
Clapp is the third member of his family to be given the nickname “Stubby”. Clapp and his wife Chastity have three children, sons Cooper (Stubby IV), Cannan, and daughter Crosbie.
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