photo: Nolan Arenado (Joe Puetz/USA TODAY Sports)
With a 5-1 road trip, the St. Louis Cardinals are playing their best baseball of 2023. Nolan Arenado has joined Nolan Gorman swinging a hot bat. Our history feature highlights third hitting coach Daniel Nicolaisen.
Game Recaps
Monday, May 8, 2023 – Cardinals 3 at Cubs 1
The St. Louis Cardinals were victorious over their rival Cubs in the in the first of a three-game series at Wrigley Field on Monday. Starter Miles Mikolas pitched 4 1/3 innings, gave up one run on four hits, struck out seven and walked three.
Genesis Cabrera relieved Mikolas and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings. Cabrera received the win, his first. Jordan Hicks followed with two scoreless innings. Ryan Helsley tossed the final 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his fourth save.
The Cardinals took the lead in the second inning 1-0. Willson Contreras and Brendan Donovan singled. Dylan Carlson singled to score Contreras.
The Cubs tied the game in the fifth. In the sixth, the Cardinals went ahead 2-1. Lars Nootbaar drew a walk and later scored on a Contreras double.
St. Louis added a third run in the eighth. Again, it began with a single by Nootbaar, who advanced to third on a single by Gorman. Nootbaar scored on a ground out by Contreras.
Contreras was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
On the base paths, Nootbaar stole his fourth base of the season. In the field, Brendan Donovan had an outfield assist at home plate.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 – Cardinals 6 at Cubs 4
The Cardinals defeated the Cubs in the second game of the series on Tuesday. Starter Jack Flaherty pitched five innings, gave up three runs on seven hits, struck out three and walked five.
Andre Pallante surrendered one run in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Chris Stratton followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his first win. Giovanny Gallegos tossed a scoreless ninth for his second save.
The Cardinals went up in the first inning on a solo home run by Nolan Gorman. The Cubs quickly tied it in the bottom of the frame.
St. Louis scored three times in the third. Lars Nootbaar hit a solo home run. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado singled. Willson Contreras walked to load the bases. Brendan Donovan walked to plate Goldschmidt. Arenado scored on a walk by Paul DeJong.
The Cubs cut the lead to 4-3 in the home half of the third, then tied the game in the sixth.
The Cardinals regained the lead in the ninth. Paul DeJong thumped a solo home run. Dylan Carlson tripled and scored on a double by Andrew Knizner.
DeJong was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Knizner was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 – Cardinals 4 at Cubs 10
The Cardinals failed to complete sweep as they lost to the Cubs in the final game of the series. Starter Jordan Montgomery pitched five innings, gave up six runs on seven hits, struck out three and walked three. Montgomery took the loss, his fifth of the season.
Drew VerHagen surrendered three runs in the sixth. James Naile was charged with one run int the final two innings.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first. Paul Goldschmidt singled and scored on a triple by Nolan Arenado. St. Louis increased the lead to 2-0 in the third. Andrew Knizner singled and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Tommy Edman. Knizner came home on a single by Willson Contreras.
The Cubs took the lead 3-2 in the home half of the third, then added two runs in the fourth, and one in the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, the Cardinals cut the lead to 6-3. Juan Yepez walked and later scored on a single by Lars Nootbaar.
In the bottom of the sixth the Cubs expanded the lead to 9-3, then made it 10-3 in the seventh. St. Louis scored one run in the ninth. Paul DeJong singled and later scored on a single by Tommy Edman.
The Cardinals offense scored four runs on 10 hits. DeJong was 2-for-4. Edman, Contreras, Arenado, and Nootbaar each had an RBI.
Thursday, May 11, 2023 – Off day
Friday, May 12, 2023 – Cardinals 8 at Red Sox 6
The Cardinals won their second opening game of a series with an 8-6 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Friday. Starter Adam Wainwright pitched five innings, gave up four runs on seven hits, struck out two and walked two.
Andre Pallante relieved Wainwright and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Genesis Cabrera followed and surrendered two runs while recording only one out. Cabrera was charged with a blown save. Ryan Helsley tossed the final two scoreless innings and earned the win, his first.
In the first, the Cardinals struck with a two-run home run by Nolan Arenado. The Red Sox tied it in the fourth, then took the lead 4-2 in the fifth.
The Cardinals came back with three runs in the sixth. A solo home run by Willson Contreras was followed by singles from Arenado, Brendan Donovan and Dylan Carlson. Arenado scored on a double play by Paul DeJong. Lars Nootbaar plated Donovan on a double.
Boston scored two in the seventh to take back the lead 6-5. St. Louis answered with three runs in the ninth. DeJong singled, stole second base, and scored on a single by Nootbaar. Pinch-hitter Nolan Gorman hit a two-run home run to bring the score to 8-6.
Arenado was 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Nootbaar was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Paul Goldschmidt was 3-for-5. Gorman had two RBI.
On the base paths, DeJong stole his first base of the season. Nootbaar swiped his fifth bag of the season.
Saturday, May 13 – Cardinals 4 at Red Sox 3
The Cardinals won the series with Boston by taking Game 2 in a ninth inning comeback on Saturday. Starter Steven Matz pitched 5 1/3 innings, gave up three runs on eight hits, struck out four and walked one.
Drew VerHagen relieved Matz and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Andre Pallante hurled a scoreless eighth. Giovanny Gallegos tossed a scoreless ninth. Pallante earned his second win of the season and Gallegos garnered his third save.
The Red Sox scored one in the first and took a 3-0 lead in the third. The Cardinals were held scoreless until the seventh inning when Nolan Arenado thumped a solo home run.
In the ninth, Paul Goldschmidt and Willson Contreras walked. Pinch-hitter Nolan Gorman doubled to score Goldschmidt. Brendan Donovan was intentionally walked. Pinch-hitter Alex Burleson hit into a force out and Contreras scored. A throwing error allowed Gorman to score. The Cardinals led 4-3.
No Cardinal had multiple hits. Arenado, Gorman, and Burleson each had an RBI.
On the base paths, Goldschmidt stole his fifth base of the season. In the field, Juan Yepez had an outfield assist at second base.
Sunday, May 14, 2023 – Cardinals 9 at Red Sox 1
The Cardinals dominated the Red Sox on Sunday night to get the sweep at Fenway Park. Starter Miles Mikolas pitched six innings, gave up one run on four hits and walked two to earn his second win of the season.
Genesis Cabrera threw a scoreless seventh. Jordan Hicks hurled a scoreless eighth and Chris Stratton tossed a scoreless ninth.
St. Louis put up one run in the first. Lars Nootbaar doubled and scored on a single by Paul Goldschmidt. Boston quickly tied in the bottom of the inning.
A Paul DeJong solo home run in the second gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead, a lead they did not relinquish.
Andrew Knizner thumped a two-run long ball I the fourth to make it 4-1. In the sixth, Knizner and Nootbaar singled. Both runners scored on a single by Nolan Arenado. The Cardinals led 6-1.
The Cardinals dealt the final blow in the eighth. Nootbaar doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He scored on a ground rule double by Nolan Gorman. Nolan Arenado then hit a two-run home run to make it 9-1.
Arenado was 2-for-5 with four RBI. Knizner was 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Nootbaar was 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Goldschmidt was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Alec Burleson was 2-for-4.
On the base paths, Arenado stole his second base of the season. In the field, Nootbaar had an outfield assist at second base.
The Big Picture
The Cardinals greatly improved their play over the last week while on the road. The team went 5-1 on the week, taking 2 of 3 from the Cubs and sweeping the Red Sox. The Cardinals are still in last place in the NL Central but have gained on the Brewers, which displaced the skidding Pirates for first place in the Division.
The offense has improved. Nolan Arenado has come out of his deep funk. Most of the starting eight are hitting well, with the exception of Tommy Edman, whose bat has gone cold. Dylan Carlson has also cooled off and left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.
The top performers by OPS for the week are Nolan Gorman (1.500), Nolan Arenado (1.344), Lars Nootbaar (1.035), and Paul DeJong (.924). At the bottom are Edman (.411) and Juan Yepez (.393).
The pitching has gotten a little better. Miles Mikolas pitched well on Sunday. Steven Matz looks better but still doesn’t have a win. Jordan Montgomery had a poor start during the week. Adam Wainwright and Jack Flaherty need improvement.
The bullpen has been okay. Drew VerHagen and Genesis Cabrera have had hiccups. The rest have pitched fine.
The defense has gotten better. The outfield is still questionable. Playing Juan Yepez in the outfield has not worked. Brendan Donovan took over left field and Alec Burleson came in after Carlson was injured on Sunday. If Carlson goes on the IL, Nootbaar may take over and Burleson could become a regular until Tyler O’Neill returns, unless the team decides to call someone up.
If the offense and the pitching continue to improve, the Cardinals could pull themselves out of the basement, inch closer to .500 and gain some ground in the Division. This task will be helped by the fact that the Cardinals play the Brewers at Busch Stadium this week. They end the week with a four-game series against the Dodgers, a team that swept them a couple of weeks ago.
The pitching has to get considerably better for there to be any chance of winning the Division. The offense is there if they keep up the consistency of run scoring they have shown lately.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| Milwaukee | 23 | 17 | 0.575 | |
| Pittsburgh | 22 | 19 | 0.537 | 1.5 |
| Chicago | 19 | 21 | 0.475 | 4 |
| Cincinnati | 18 | 22 | 0.450 | 5 |
| St. Louis | 16 | 25 | 0.390 | 7.5 |
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade and acquisition rumors.
Transactions
- 5/8 The Cardinals sent INF Taylor Motter outright to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 5/9 The Cardinals recalled RHP Andre Pallante from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 5/9 The Cardinals optioned LHP JoJo Romero to the Memphis Redbirds.
Injury Report
- RHP Wilking Rodriguez (right shoulder strain) was transferred to the 60-day injured list to make room on the roster for James Naile. Rodriguez is out for the season with shoulder surgery.
- LHP Packy Naughton (left forearm strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 8. Naughton has begun a throwing program. A late May return is possible.
- OF Tyler O’Neill is on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain. O’Neill is scheduled to make his first rehab assignment on Tuesday.
- RHP Jake Woodford is on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Woodford experienced pain while pitching in relief on May 4. Woodford could return by late May.
Looking Ahead
A seven game homestand opens on Monday with three games against Milwaukee and a four-game series against the Dodgers.
Jack Flaherty is scheduled to make Monday’s start against the Brewers. Jordan Montgomery follows on Tuesday and Adam Wainwright will make the Wednesday start.
No starters for the four-game series against the Dodgers have been set. If the rotation holds, the starters will likely be Steven Matz, followed by Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty and Jordan Montgomery.
Another road trip begins on Monday, May 22 with four games in Cincinnati and ends with three in Cleveland. The month of May ends with a two-game series with the Royals at Busch Stadium.
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 ninth installment profiles Third Hitting Coach Daniel Nicolaisen. The duties are to assist the Hitting Coach and Assistant Hitting Coach with matters relating to hitting, including batting mechanics, plate discipline, and preparation.
Daniel Nicolaisen was born in and grew up in Denmark. Nicolaisen’s interest in baseball began when he saw the movie “Major League”. The only local club available for him to play in was men’s fast pitch softball, which was where Nicolaisen got his start in the sport.
Nicolaisen met his wife, Wendi, who was from New Jersey, on a softball field and his journey to the United States began. His secondary education began at Atlantic Cape Community College in Hamilton, NJ. After two years playing baseball there, Nicolaisen moved to Neumann University and played there from 2015-2016.
At some point in his baseball journey, he realized professional baseball was not in his future. After getting his degree in Business Administration, Nicolaisen took a position coaching women’s softball at Seton Hall University in 2017. He became the full-time assistant coach, specializing in hitting, in 2018. He remained in that role through 2019.
For 2020, the Cardinals offered him a coaching position with the Johnson City Cardinals. However, the onslaught of Covid-19 cancelled the minor league season.
Nicolaisen became the hitting coach for the Palm Beach Cardinals in 2021 and in 2022, he became the assistant minor league hitting coordinator for the 2022 season.
For 2023, the Cardinals promoted Nicolaisen to the major league staff as the Third Hitting Coach. He works with Assistant Hitting Coach Brandon Allen and Hitting Coach Turner Ward.
Daniel and Wendi reside in St. Louis.
Exclusively for members of The Cardinal Nation
Now Available – 2023 Cardinals Prospect Guide
The Cardinal Nation 2023 Prospect Guide is back for its sixth year. It includes 292 pages of in-depth commentary about the very best St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguers, including dozens of all-new player scouting reports. Order your PDF or printed book copy today!
All paid members can purchase our Prospect Guide PDF at 50% off. Thank you for your support of The Cardinal Nation!
https://thecardinalnation.com/order-tcns-2023-cardinals-prospect-guide/
Not yet a member?
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Follow Marilyn Green on Twitter @Marilyncolor.
© 2023 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.