photo: Adam Wainwright via Zoom (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
After 17 days out, the St. Louis Cardinals returned to play, winning two of three at the White Sox over the weekend. Adam Wainwright’s Game 1 performance set the tone. Our history feature highlights Curt Flood’s eight consecutive hits in a twin-bill held 56 years ago this week.
Game Recaps
Saturday, August 15, 2020 – Cardinals 5 at White Sox 1 (Game 1, seven innings)
After 17 days without playing a game, the St. Louis Cardinals returned to play with a doubleheader against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.
The first game began with Adam Wainwright on the bump to start. The right hander’s last appearance was on July 25 and any long layoff from pitching makes returning to the mound difficult. Wainwright handled his return like the professional he is. Wainwright tossed five of the game’s seven innings, allowing one run on two hits. The veteran starter struck out three and walked three.
The final two innings were handled by Giovanny Gallegos, in the sixth inning, and John Gant to close out the seventh. Gallegos was masterful, striking out all three batters he faced for a perfect inning. Gant pitched a scoreless seventh, yielding one hit and fanning two.
The game began with leadoff hitter Kolten Wong drawing an eight-pitch walk. Tommy Edman followed with a single to left field. Tyler O’Neill and Matt Carpenter were each hit by a pitch, bringing Wong home to score the first run. Dexter Fowler drove in Edman and O’Neill on a bloop fly ball to center. Andrew Knizner singled to plate Carpenter. Harrison Bader singled on a grounder to short, but Fowler was thrown out at home attempting to score from second base. The Cardinals led 4-0.
In the fourth inning, Fowler singled and Bader walked. Edman reached on a fielding error and Fowler scored to add the Cardinals fifth and final run.
O’Neill was caught stealing in the fifth inning. Carpenter made a throwing error in the second inning.
Saturday, August 15, 2020 – Cardinals 6 at White Sox 3 (Game 2, seven innings)
In the second game of the twin bill, the Cardinals came back from a two-run deficit in the fourth inning with four big runs to take the lead and keep it. A sweep of the doubleheader puts the Cardinals back in the thick of the race in the NL Central.
The Cardinals fell behind 1-0 in the third inning but came back in the top of the fourth to tie on a solo home run by Paul Goldschmidt. The White Sox took the lead back in the bottom frame of the inning via a two-run home run against reliever Genesis Cabrera.
Undeterred, the offense came back in the fifth. Max Schrock singled on a shallow fly ball to right field for his first major league hit. Harrison Bader followed with a ground ball to third that was initially ruled a double play. However, on replay the call was overturned as Bader’s speed led him to beat the throw by a hair. Tommy Edman was hit by a pitch. A wild pitch advanced Bader and Edman a base, then Carpenter grounded out and Bader scored. Paul Goldschmidt was next with a single to short and Edman scored to tie the game at 3-3. Tyler O’Neill blasted a two-run home run to left field and the Cardinals led 5-3.
St. Louis added an insurance run in the seventh. Carpenter singled to center and O’Neill doubled to center. Carpenter scored on a sac fly off the bat of Brad Miller.
Notably both Schrock and top prospect Dylan Carlson each collected their first major league hit, both in the fifth inning. Schrock singled and Carlson doubled.
A third Cardinal made his major league debut. Jake Woodford was the starter and he tossed three innings. The right-hander gave up one run on one hit, a solo home run, struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Genesis Cabrera relieved Woodford in the fourth and yielded two runs on one hit, also a home run. The left hander struck out two and walked one. Alex Reyes pitched the fifth, and like his teammate Gallegos in Game 1, struck out all three batters he faced. Tyler Webb tossed the sixth, and Andrew Miller finished with a scoreless seventh.
Sunday, August 16, 2020 – Cardinals 2 at White Sox 7
The Cardinals met the White Sox in the final game of the three-game series on Sunday. Dakota Hudson got the start against Dallas Keuchel for the White Sox.
Hudson pitched four innings and gave up one run on two hits, struck out three and walked one. The right hander took the loss, his second. Roel Ramirez made his major league debut in relief and it did not go well. In 2/3 of an inning, Ramirez yielded six runs on six hits, including four consecutive home runs. The right hander fanned one and walked one.
Seth Elledge, also making his major league debut, relieved Ramirez with two outs in the fifth inning. He tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, struck out five and issued no walks. Rob Kaminsky followed with a scoreless inning in his initial major league appearance. The left hander struck out one.
The offense was kept off the board until the sixth inning. After the White Sox took a 7-0 lead with six runs in the fifth, the Cardinals put up two runs. Another player in his first MLB game, John Nogowski, led off with a single to center and Kolten Wong followed with a single to right. Tommy Edman grounded into a force out, erasing Wong on the basepaths. Paul Goldschmidt grounded to first and Nogowski was thrown out attempting to score. With Goldschmidt and Edman on first and second, Tyler O’Neill drew a walk. Matt Carpenter then singled to right field, plating Edman and Goldschmidt to decrease the lead to 7-2. The Cardinals did not score again.
The offense had six hits, including singles by Dylan Carlson and Dexter Fowler. No Cardinal had multiple hits and none of the six hits went for extra bases.
Andrew Knizner was tagged with an error on a catcher interference and erased two of three runners trying to steal.
The Big Picture
In their first series back after returning to play, the Cardinals won two of three at the home of the White Sox. This leaves the Cardinals with a 4-4 record in the NL Central, tying them with the Brewers for second place, 3.5 games back of the Cubs.
For the first two games, the doubleheader on Saturday, the offense scored 11 runs. The offense performed less well on Sunday, with only two runs on six hits. The hitters couldn’t figure out lefty Dallas Keuchel until the sixth inning. The top performers with the bat so far are Paul Goldschmidt, Dexter Fowler, and Andrew Knizer. Tyler O’Neill is also hitting well, though he was hitless in the final game of the series. Top prospect Dylan Carlson has two hits, a double and a single, and drew a walk.
Pitching has been good, with the bullpen seeing the bulk of the work in the White Sox series. Only Genesis Cabrera and Roel Ramirez allowed runs. Ramirez struggled with the long ball in the third game of the series. Giovanny Gallegos and Alex Reyes were standouts in the doubleheaders on Saturday.
Defense has been good, with only two errors over the weekend. Baserunning has been fine as well, though there were two issues with attempting to score by Fowler in the first game and John Nogowski in the final game.
The Cardinals will remain in Chicago to play five games with the Cubs, including doubleheaders on Monday and Wednesday. The Cubs have a strong lead in the division, but were swept by Milwaukee over the weekend, so winning this series would put the Cardinals back on solid footing.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| Chicago | 13 | 6 | 0.684 | |
| Milwaukee | 10 | 10 | 0.500 | 3.5 |
| St. Louis | 4 | 4 | 0.500 | 3.5 |
| Cincinnati | 9 | 11 | 0.450 | 4.5 |
| Pittsburgh | 4 | 14 | 0.222 | 8.5 |
Cardinals finally return to the field
After a 17-day break from game play due to a COVID-19 outbreak, the Cardinals received clearance to return to the field. The team had been isolated for a week due to additional positive tests after returning to St. Louis from the quarantine in Milwaukee. 10 players and seven staff members had tested positive as of Thursday, and one additional positive, a staff member, was added as the team was preparing to travel to Chicago for their first series in over two weeks. The staff member had been in isolation for a week and had had no contact with others.
With clearance to play, and in an abundance of caution, the Cardinals decided to forgo a plane trip to Chicago. Instead the team rented 41 cars and each member of the traveling party drove separately.
Prior to the Chicago trip, the Cardinals placed three players, OF Austin Dean, OF Lane Thomas, and RHP Ryan Helsley on the injured list. All three had tested positive for the virus. LHP Austin Gomber, who had not tested positive, but was identified as having been exposed from contact tracing, was placed on the COVID injured list as a precaution.
The team added five players to the roster on Friday – top prospect Dylan Carlson, 1B John Nogowski, and pitchers Seth Elledge, Roel Ramirez, and Rob Kaminsky. The Cardinals also recalled pitcher Ricardo Sanchez, who was designated as the 29th man for the Saturday doubleheader.
The moves required other players on the 40-man roster to be moved off to make room. Placing players on the COVID injured list enables said players to be taken off the roster for the period of time they are on the list. The players who were moved off the roster have not been identified. Subsequent moves will have to be made at a later time to open a spot for those players to return.
The players arriving from the Alternate Training site in Springfield traveled to Chicago on a bus. The team also added three RHP to the taxi squad for the trip, Ryan Meisinger, Nabil Crismatt, and Jesus Cruz, joining catcher Jose Godoy.
The Cardinals added three players, C Pedro Pages, SS Kramer Robertson, and RHP Bryan Dobzanski to their Alternate Training Site.
Willie McGee opts out
On Friday, outfield coach Willie McGee announced that he was opting out from coaching for the remainder of the 2020 season.
The 61-year old Cardinals Hall of Famer became concerned after the recent outbreak among players and staff that sent everyone into quarantine in St. Louis for a week. While McGee had not tested positive, he was concerned for his own health as well as the health of the large family that resides with him. He asked the team if he could return to his home in Martinez, California and the Cardinals agreed.
President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak told the media that the team understood McGee’s decision and will welcome him back to coaching next spring. McGee may continue to offer some coaching to players virtually from his home.
The Cardinals added long time coach Jose Oquendo, who had been running the Alternate Training Site, to the major league staff as third base coach. Also added was Johnson City manager Roberto Espinoza. Oquendo will also coach the outfield, and Espinoza will help with the bullpen and prepping hitters.
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
- 8/14 The Cardinals placed LHP Austin Gomber on the COVID-19 injured list retroactive to August 13.
- 8/15 The Cardinals placed OF Lane Thomas and OF Austin Dean on the injured list.
- 8/15 The Cardinals placed RHP Ryan Helsley on the injured list.
- 8/15 The Cardinals selected the contracts of LHP Rob Kaminsky, RHP Seth Elledge, 1B John Nogowski, and OF Dylan Carlson from the Cardinals Alternate Training Site.
- 8/15 The Cardinals recalled RHP Ricardo Sanchez from the Cardinals Alternate Training Site.
- 8/16 The Cardinals optioned RHP Jake Woodford to the Alternate Training Site.
Injury Report
- RHP John Brebbia underwent Tommy John surgery on June 1. He will miss the entire 2020 season.
- RHP Jordan Hicks (Tommy John surgery) has opted out of the 2020 season. Hicks, a Type 1 diabetic, made the decision to opt out and was placed on the restricted list.
- RHP Miles Mikolas (right forearm strain) had surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
- Six players, RHP Junior Fernandez, and Kodi Whitley, SS Paul DeJong and SS Edmundo Sosa, 1B Rangel Ravelo, and C Yadier Molina were the first group placed on the injured list due to positive COVID-19 tests. The players have isolated for at least eight days and will be eligible to return after two negative tests 24 hours apart. Some of the players have begun the process to return to play. After the two positive tests, a physical, a cardiac evaluation, and blood work each player may be cleared for light workouts at Busch Stadium. The next step will be to send them to the Alternate Training Site for live at bats and bullpen sessions. None are expected to return on the current road trip.
- RHP Carlos Martinez was placed on the injured list. No reason given. No timetable for his return has been reported.
- OF Lane Thomas, OF Austin Dean, and RHP Helsley were placed on the COVID-19 IL. They must follow the same steps outlined above before they can return to baseball activities.
- LHP Austin Gomber was placed on the COVID-19 injured list as a precaution. He was identified as having been exposed to COVID-19 through contact tracing, though he has not tested positive. Gomber remains in St. Louis to work out and is expected to rejoin the team in Chicago as soon as Monday.
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals returned to play on August 15 after a 17-day hiatus due to a COVID-19 outbreak. The first game of the series against the White Sox was scheduled to be played on Friday but was postponed a day. A doubleheader was played on Saturday, followed by the final game of the series on Sunday.
The Cardinals remain in Chicago to play the Cubs beginning on Monday, August 17. The teams will play doubleheaders on Monday and Wednesday and a single contest on Tuesday. The doubleheaders will make up previously postponed games.
The pitching lineup is scheduled as follows: Kwang-Hyun Kim will start the first game on Monday and the second game is to be a bullpen game. Tuesday’s starter will be Daniel Ponce de Leon. Jack Flaherty will pitch in one game of the doubleheader on Wednesday and the other game will be a bullpen game.
The Cardinals are then scheduled to return to Busch Stadium on Thursday to begin a four-game series against the Reds. Cincinnati’s weekend series against Pittsburgh was postponed after a Reds player tested positive.
Blast from the Past
The Cardinals returned on Saturday after 17 days without playing a game due to a COVID-19 outbreak that affected 18 players and staff. Their return began with a doubleheader against the White Sox. St. Louis took both games, 5-1 and 6-3.
There have been innumerable doubleheaders played by the Cardinals in franchise history. Twin bills were a staple in the early and mid 20th Century but have become less common in the last few decades. Among the notable doubleheaders played by the Cardinals, this week’s Blast from the Past remembers one in particular.
On August 16, 1964 the Cardinals played Los Angeles in a doubleheader at Dodger Stadium. The starting lineup for the game included CF Curt Flood, who hit leadoff in both games of the doubleheader. On the day, the future Cardinals Hall of Famer collected eight consecutive hits.
In the opener, Flood led off the first inning with a line drive double to left field off Dodgers starter Sandy Koufax. Flood was left stranded on the bases after Lou Brock struck out, Dick Groat flied out, and Ken Boyer popped out.
Flood came up to bat again in the third inning, when he hit a ground ball double to left field off Koufax. He was again left stranded. In the fifth inning he hit a fly ball single to right field off Koufax for hit number three. Again, he did not score.
In his final at bat in the seventh inning, he hit a line drive single to center field. Julian Javier had led off the inning with a single to right field and Flood’s single moved Javier to third base. Brock struck out to end the inning and left Javier and Flood stranded.
Flood went 4-for-4 but the Cardinals lost 3-0 to the Dodgers. The only other hits were the single by Javier and singles by Groat and Bill White.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Flood again led off the first inning and tripled to right field off Dodger starter Larry Miller. Flood scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Groat.
Flood took his second turn at the plate in the third inning. He hit a line drive single to center field off Miller but was left stranded on the bases. His turn came again in the fourth. After singles by Ken Boyer, Carl Warwick, and Javier, Boyer scored on a sac fly by Tim McCarver. Curt Simmons drew a walk in front of Flood, and Flood singled to right field to score Warwick and Javier. Flood and Simmons were left stranded after Charlie James lined out.
In the sixth inning, with two outs, Flood singled to left field but was left stranded when James struck out. This single was the eighth consecutive hit by Flood in the two games. Flood finally made an out in the ninth inning when he struck out swinging. He was probably exhausted from all the hitting and running.
Flood went 4-for-5 in the second game with two RBI. The Cardinals defeated the Dodgers 4-0 to split the twin bill exactly 56 years ago on Sunday.
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