photo: Harrison Bader (Jim Cowsert/Imagn)
The skidding St. Louis Cardinals won just two games for the second consecutive week. Since his return to the starting lineup, Harrison Bader has been a spark, offensively and defensively. In our weekly history feature, the Jose Oquendo 19-inning game against the Braves in 1988 is remembered.
Game recaps
Monday, May 13 – Off day
Tuesday, May 14 – Cardinals 14 at Braves 3
The St. Louis Cardinals met the Braves for the first time in 2019 in a three-game series in Atlanta. The offense went wild, scoring 14 runs to handily defeat the Braves in Game 1 of the series.
The Redbirds put up a three-run first inning to begin the scoring. All three runs came home on a Marcell Ozuna blast to left field.
In the third, Paul Goldschmidt singled and then later scored on a single by Jose Martinez.
Dexter Fowler hit a solo home run in the fourth. In the fifth, Yadier Molina added a three-run shot to center. Jack Flaherty plated a run on a single, Kolten Wong scored on a wild pitch and Matt Carpenter doubled to score Flaherty. The Cardinals led 11-0.
The Braves scored three in the fifth. The score remained 11-3 until the top of the ninth, when Wong blasted a three-run home run to center to bring the score to the final of 14-3.
Molina, Fowler, and Wong each had two hits. Ozuna, Molina, and Wong each drove in three.
Starter Jack Flaherty pitched six innings to earn his fourth win. The right hander gave up three runs on three hits, while fanning six and walking five. Giovanny Gallegos, Dominic Leone, and Luke Gregerson each pitched a scoreless inning of relief.
Wednesday, May 15 – Cardinals 0, Braves 4
After a high offense game the previous day, the Cardinals offense was shut down in the second game of the series. St. Louis’ hitters managed only three hits, all singles, by Paul DeJong, Jose Martinez, and Kolten Wong.
Starter Michael Wacha tossed five innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on four hits. The right hander struck out four and walked four. John Brebbia pitched a scoreless sixth, and Giovanny Gallegos pitched a scoreless seventh. John Gant surrendered two runs on a two-run home run in the eighth.
Wacha made a throwing error.
Thursday, May 16 – Cardinals 2 at Braves 10
In the rubber game of the series, the Cardinals managed only two runs in a second low offense game. The runs came via solo home runs by Marcell Ozuna in the sixth inning, and Matt Carpenter in the eighth. The offense scattered four other hits, all singles. No Cardinal had multiple hits.
Starter Adam Wainwright pitched only four innings and gave up five runs on five hits. The right hander struck out two and walked five. Tyler Webb surrendered one run in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Luke Gregerson allowed two more runs in 2/3 of an inning, while Dominic Leone also gave up two runs in 1 2/3. Jordan Hicks got the last out of the eighth. Wainwright was tagged with his fourth loss of the season.
Marcell Ozuna had an outfield assist at third base.
Friday, May 17 – Cardinals 3 at Rangers 7
The Cardinals traveled to Arlington, Texas for a weekend interleague series with the Texas Rangers. Game 1 was a failure of starting pitching. Miles Mikolas was pulled with one out in the second inning, after seven runs were in. The right hander allowed nine hits, including two home runs that accounted for three of the seven runs. Mikolas fanned two but issued no walks. Giovanny Gallegos, Tyler Webb, John Brebbia, and Andrew Miller combined to keep the Rangers off the board the rest of the game.
St. Louis’ offense put up two runs in the third inning, neither of which scored on hits. After Harrison Bader and Matt Carpenter singled, Paul Goldschmidt grounded into a fielder’s choice and Bader scored on a fielding error. Carpenter then scored on a force out from Marcell Ozuna.
A third run was added in the ninth on a solo home run by Bader. The center fielder, starting for the first time since May 6, hit the solo shot to the opposite field, and it bounced off the right field foul pole. Bader had three hits and scored twice.
Saturday, May 18 – Cardinals 8 at Rangers 2
The Cardinals bounced back with a win in the Game 2 of the series. A big five-run fifth inning paced the Redbirds’ decisive victory.
The offense scored its first run in the third inning. Harrison Bader led off with a single, and scored on Paul DeJong’s single.
In the fifth, another Bader single was followed by a double from Matt Carpenter that brought Bader home. The hit was originally ruled a home run, but after umpire review, it was ruled a double. Paul Goldschmidt walked, and Paul DeJong doubled to plate Carpenter and Goldschmidt. Marcell Ozuna walked and later scored on Yadier Molina’s ground out.
The Redbirds added one run in the sixth on an Ozuna RBI single. The final St. Louis run scored in the ninth on a solo home run by DeJong.
Carpenter, DeJong, Molina, and Bader each had two hits. DeJong drove in four.
Starter Dakota Hudson won his third game of the season. The right-hander tossed six innings and gave up two runs on five hits. Hudson fanned five and walked two. John Gant added two scoreless innings of relief, and Carlos Martinez followed with a scoreless ninth.
Sunday, May 19 – Cardinals 4 at Rangers 5 (10 innings)
In the final game of the series, the Cardinals lost a heartbreaker in extra innings. Starter Jack Flaherty gave up two runs on four hits in six innings pitched. The right hander struck out five and walked two. Andrew Miller surrendered one run in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Jordan Hicks hurled a tough 1 1/3 innings, in which he allowed two runs on three hits. Carlos Martinez pitched the final 2/3 scoreless innings. Hicks took the loss.
St. Louis’ offense put up two runs in the first inning. Harrison Bader led off with a double and Paul Goldschmidt walked. Paul DeJong doubled to plate Bader and Goldschmidt.
The Rangers tied the game in the fourth, and scored the go ahead run in the eighth. A solo home run by Dexter Fowler in the ninth sent the game into extra innings. The Cardinals took the 4-3 lead in the 10th on a sac fly by DeJong that scored Bader from third.
The Rangers scored the tying run off Hicks, and scored the winning run after Hicks left and was replaced by Carlos Martinez. Martinez gave up the sac fly that scored the winning run, a run that was charged to Hicks.
Bader and Marcell Ozuna each had two hits. DeJong drove in three.
Yadier Molina stole his third base of the season, and DeJong stole his fourth bag in 2019.
The Big Picture
For the second consecutive week, St. Louis won only one game in each of two series. The Cardinals were 2-4 to end the week, losing two of three to the Braves, and two of three to the Texas Rangers. The Cardinals stand in fourth place in the NL Central, 4.5 games back of the Cubs, and only one game above .500.
Despite a week of inconsistent offense (which has been a consistent problem for a while) the major issue for the Cardinals remains pitching. Miles Mikolas had his worst game of the season (and maybe his Cardinals career) against the Rangers on Friday. Mikolas didn’t last two innings, after giving up seven runs. Adam Wainwright also had a poor start against the Braves, and Michael Wacha continues to have command issues. The young starters, Flaherty and Hudson, earned the only two wins of the week.
The bullpen has been shaky. Dominic Leone was sent down to Memphis this weekend to attempt to correct his issues. Luke Gregerson is no longer on the roster, as he was designated for assignment to make room for the return from the IL of Carlos Martinez. Ryan Helsley was called up but did not make an appearance in the Rangers series. The lack of games in which the Cardinals had a lead late in the game, resulted in Jordan Hicks not making an appearance until Sunday. The lack of consistent work showed, as Hicks had command problems and gave up two runs that won the game for the Rangers on Sunday.
Defense received a boost in the Rangers series, as the availability of the DH took Jose Martinez out of the outfield, and put Harrison Bader in. Bader made a diving catch on Saturday, but made more of an impact with his bat, going 7-for-12 in the series with two doubles and a home run.
The Cardinals return home to play the Royals for two games. The Braves then come to St. Louis for a weekend series.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| Chicago | 27 | 17 | 0.614 | |
| Milwaukee | 28 | 21 | 0.571 | 1.5 |
| Pittsburgh | 24 | 20 | 0.545 | 3 |
| St. Louis | 24 | 23 | 0.511 | 4.5 |
| Cincinnati | 21 | 26 | 0.447 | 7.5 |
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
- 5/15 The Cardinals sent RHP Carlos Martinez on a rehab assignment to the Springfield Cardinals.
- 5/17 The Cardinals activated RHP Carlos Martinez from the 10 day injured list.
- 5/17 The Cardinals designated RHP Luke Gregerson for assignment.
- 5/17 The Cardinals optioned RHP Dominic Leone to the Memphis Redbirds.
- 5/17 The Cardinals recalled RHP Ryan Helsley from the Memphis Redbirds.
Injury Report
- LHP Brett Cecil (wrist) continues on the 60 day injured list. Cecil had been shut down from throwing for an indefinite period following surgery to address carpal tunnel syndrome. The left hander is reportedly starting a throwing program on Monday. Cecil could return to the roster in early July.
- RHP Mike Mayers (right shoulder lat strain) was placed on the 10 day injured list on April 16. Mayers will be out indefinitely and any return will likely not come until July.
Looking Ahead
Monday is an off day. The Cardinals returned home from Arlington to continue interleague play with a two-game series against the Royals. There is a second off day on Thursday, then on Friday the Braves come to St. Louis for a weekend series.
The Monday following the Braves series in St. Louis is a travel day. The team goes to Philadelphia to play the Phillies. The Cardinals return to Busch Stadium following the series in Philadelphia for an important weekend series against the Cubs.
After a third Monday off day, the Cardinals continue the homestand with a three game set with the Reds. The Redbirds then go to Wrigley Field to play the Cubs in another weekend series.
The team leaves Chicago to travel to Miami for three games and then to New York to play the Mets in a four-game series.
After the Mets series the Redbirds return home to take on the Marlins again for four at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals’ Regular Season schedule can be viewed here.
Blast from the Past
While the Cardinals lost two of three with the Braves this past week, this Blast from the Past remembers a memorable game against the Braves that occurred in 1988, during this same week in May.
The Cardinals played the Braves on May 14, 1988 in Busch Stadium. The game was historic in that it lasted 19 innings. As long as it was, it was not the longest game in franchise history. That honor belongs to a game that occurred 14 years earlier, on September 11, 1974. The Cardinals played the Mets and the Cardinals eventually won the game 4-3 but took 25 innings to accomplish it.
The 1988 game ended in a loss for the Cardinals, 7-5, but not before 23 of the 25 players on the roster made an appearance. Seven of the 23 were those whose normal position was pitcher. There were actually eight pitchers who took the mound. The eighth and final pitcher, who took the loss, was none other than infielder Jose Oquendo. Oquendo ended up pitching four of the 19 innings to finish the game.
The pitcher that started it all was Cris Carpenter. Not THE Chris Carpenter, but another Cris Carpenter (minus the H). This Carpenter pitched for the Cardinals from 1988-1992, posting a W/L record of 21-15 with an ERA of 3.66. Carpenter pitched the first six innings, giving up five runs on seven hits. The pitchers who followed were, in order, Steve Peters, Scott Terry, Ken Dayley, Todd Worrell, Bob Forsch, Randy O’Neal, and Oquendo.
The Cardinals took a 3-0 lead into the fourth inning when the Braves scored four to take a 4-3 lead. The Cardinals took the lead back 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth. The Braves scored the tying run in the top of the seventh.
The game remained tied 5-5 until the top of the 19th inning, when the Braves scored two runs on a double by Ken Griffey off Oquendo. The Cardinals failed to score in the bottom of the 19th and that was the game.
Notable highlights (other than Oquendo pitching), were outfielders Jose DeLeon and Tom Brunansky switching back and forth between LF and RF 11 times during the final four innings of the game (Vince Coleman started the game in LF, but was replaced by DeLeon in the 16th inning). Willie McGee played CF the entire game and might have been dizzy after it. The game also featured pitcher John Tudor pinch hitting for DeLeon in the bottom of the 19th.
Umpire Bob Davidson, a/k/a “Balking Bob” was behind home plate for the game. True to his name, Balking Bob called two balks, one on Braves pitcher Rick Mahler, and one on Cardinals pitcher Todd Worrell.
The game started at 7:05 pm and took 5 hours and 40 minutes to complete.
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