photo: Michael Wacha (Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images)
The disastrous May for the St. Louis Cardinals continues with another losing week, at 2-3. Michael Wacha has been removed from the rotation in favor of rookie Genesis Cabrera and Matt Carpenter was dropped from the leadoff spot. Two first-place teams are next on the schedule. In our weekly history feature, Bob Gibson’s complete-game mastery is remembered.
Game recaps
Monday, May 20 – Off day
Tuesday, May 21 – Postponed
Tuesday’s home game against the Kansas City Royals was postponed due to rain. It was played as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 22 – Cardinals 2, Royals 8 (Game 1)
In the first of the twin bill against the Royals, the Cardinals offense couldn’t figure out Royals starter Brad Keller. St. Louis was kept scoreless until the eighth inning, when the offense put two men on base on a Matt Carpenter walk and a Paul Goldschmidt single. Reliever Kevin McCarthy gave up a double to Marcell Ozuna that plated Carpenter and Goldschmidt. Those were the Cardinals’ only scores. Matt Wieters was the only Cardinal with more than one hit.
Starter Michael Wacha did not pitch well. The right hander went 4 2/3 innings and gave up seven runs, six earned, on seven hits while fanning four and walking three. Ryan Helsley followed with 1 2/3 innings of relief in which he surrendered a run. Giovanny Gallegos and Tyler Webb combined to toss the final 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Dexter Fowler made a fielding error.
Wednesday, May 22 – Cardinals 10, Royals 3 (Game 2)
The Cardinals fared better in the nightcap. Adam Wainwright pitched five innings, during which he gave up three runs on six hits. The veteran right hander struck out two and walked four. John Gant, Andrew Miller, Carlos Martinez, and John Brebbia each followed with a scoreless inning of relief.
The offense had seen Royals starter Homer Bailey many times, and it showed. The Cardinals scored five runs in the first two innings and knocked Bailey out of the game after 1 2/3 innings.
In the first inning, Marcell Ozuna blasted a three run home run to right field to give the Redbirds the 3-0 lead. The lead increased to 5-0 in the second when Matt Carpenter thumped a two-run home run to right center.
Thought the Royals made it closer with three runs scored over the next three innings, the Cardinals came back in the bottom of the sixth with Dexter Fowler’s solo home run to bring the lead to 6-3.
In the seventh, St. Louis poured it on with four additional runs. The first came on Yadier Molina’s RBI single. Kolten Wong followed with a three-run home run to right to bring the score to its final resting place of 10-3.
Molina and Wong each stole a base, the former’s fourth of the season, and the latter’s seventh.
Thursday, May 23 – Off day
Friday, May 24 – Cardinals 2, Braves 5
The Cardinals began a three-game home series with the Braves on Memorial Day weekend with a thud, as they fell to the Braves 5-2.
Starter Miles Mikolas redeemed himself following his last poor start in Texas. Against Atlanta, Mikolas tossed seven innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. The right hander fanned nine and issued no free passes. Giovanny Gallegos stumbled to begin the eighth, surrendering a two-run home run while recording only one out. Tyler Webb came in and successfully finished the eighth without further damage. John Brebbia pitched a scoreless ninth. Though Mikolas deserved better, he took the loss.
The meager offense put up one run in the third inning on an RBI triple by Harrison Bader. Matt Carpenter’s solo home run put the second and final run on the board, but it was too little.
Carpenter, Bader, and Paul Goldschmidt each had two hits. Bader’s triple and Carpenter’s home run were the only extra base hits.
Gallegos made an error on a pickoff attempt.
Saturday, May 25 – Cardinals 6, Braves 3
The Cardinals got back in the win column with a victory over the Braves on Saturday. Starter Dakota Hudson pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits. The right-hander struck out two and walked two. Carlos Martinez finished the seventh inning and surrendered a run on two hits. Andrew Miller and Jordan Hicks each contributed a scoreless inning of relief. Martinez was charged with a blown save, and Miller was granted the win.
St. Louis scored their first of six runs in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Matt Carpenter. Another run came home in the fifth on Paul Goldschmidt’s single.
The Braves took the lead with two in the seventh, but the Cardinals rallied in the eighth with a four spot. Matt Carpenter again singled to plate a run. Jedd Gyorko gave the Redbirds the ultimate margin of victory with a three-run home run as a pinch hitter in the eighth.
Carpenter and Goldschmidt had three hits each.
Sunday, May 25 – Cardinals 3, Braves 4 (10 innings)
The Cardinals couldn’t hold on to a three-run lead in the rubber game of the series, losing 4-3 in extra innings to the Braves. Starter Jack Flaherty was excellent, pitching six scoreless innings while allowing only three hits, striking out seven and walking none. John Gant and Carlos Martinez combined for the next two scoreless innings of relief.
The wheels came off the bus when Jordan Hicks, hardly used in the month of May, started the ninth and surrendered three runs to allow the Braves to tie the game. Hicks recorded no outs and was replaced by Andrew Miller. Miller got two outs but was charged with the blown save by giving up the hit that allowed the tying run to score. That run was charged to Hicks. John Brebbia replaced Miller with two outs in the ninth and got the final out of the inning. Brebbia returned and secured the first out of the 10th. Tyler Webb got one out and then gave up the winning run on a bases loaded walk. Giovanny Gallegos recorded the final out of the 10th, but the damage was done.
St. Louis’ offense got on the board with two runs in the fourth inning. Kolten Wong reached on an error and advanced to second base. Harrison Bader singled to right and Wong scored. Bader advanced to second on the play and stole third base. Jack Flaherty hit into a fielder’s choice as Bader scored.
In the fifth, Marcell Ozuna grounded into a force out then stole second base. Matt Carpenter singled and Ozuna advanced to third. Yadier Molina plated Ozuna on a sac fly. The Cardinals did not score again.
No Cardinal had more than one hit. Molina, Bader, and Flaherty each had an RBI.
Bader stole his first base of the season. Ozuna stole his fourth base, and Dexter Fowler got his third. Fowler had an outfield assist.
The Big Picture
For the third consecutive week, the Cardinals lost both series. The team won one game against the Royals and one against the Braves. The final loss to the Braves on Sunday night was a complete failure of the bullpen. The Cardinals had a 3-0 lead going into the ninth inning and the bullpen coughed it up, specifically Jordan Hicks, who has hardly pitched during the month of May.
The continued failure of the offense and pitching doing well at the same time is concerning. If the issue is not starting pitching one game, it’s the bullpen or the offense or both. The team is not firing on all cylinders. The potential exists for the Cardinals to end the month with the worst May record in franchise history.
In an attempt to jumpstart the offense, Matt Carpenter was moved out of the leadoff spot to fifth in the order, with Dexter Fowler batting first. It has yet to accomplish its objective. Disappointing Michael Wacha has been moved to the bullpen in a yet-to-be defined role.
The Cardinals have gone from 10 games over .500 to exactly .500 in less than a month. They have yet to win back-to-back games or win a series during May. This type of play cannot continue.
The team goes to Philadelphia to play the NL East first-place Phillies for a three game set. They then return to St. Louis to play the NL Central first-place Cubs. Two division-leading opponents in one week is not a recipe for a bounce back unless the Cardinals play much, much better than they have been. Continuing to lose these series could put the Cardinals in the division cellar fairly quickly. Right now, they are only two games ahead of the last-place Reds.
NL Central Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB |
| Chicago | 30 | 21 | 0.588 | |
| Milwaukee | 30 | 24 | 0.556 | 1.5 |
| St. Louis | 26 | 26 | 0.500 | 4.5 |
| Pittsburgh | 25 | 25 | 0.500 | 4.5 |
| Cincinnati | 24 | 28 | 0.447 | 6.5 |
Trade and Acquisition Rumors
There are no trade or acquisition rumors to report.
Transactions
- 5/20 The Cardinals released RHP Luke Gregerson
- 5/22 The Cardinals recalled OF Lane Thomas from the Memphis Redbirds.
- 5/23 The Cardinals optioned RHP Ryan Helsley to the Memphis Redbirds.
Cabrera is coming
With the removal of Michael Wacha from the starting rotation, the club announced that left-handed pitcher Genesis Cabrera will be promoted from Triple-A Memphis to start Wednesday in Philadelphia.
New #stlcards SP Genesis Cabrera started poorly in 2019, with a 10.22 ERA through four AAA appearances. In his last two starts, over 12 innings, the 22 y/o lefty has been at his best, allowing four runs on 12 hits, 2 walks and 10 strikeouts. Cabrera is TCN's 9th-ranked prospect. pic.twitter.com/HqS5gTwqo4
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) May 26, 2019
Injury Report
- LHP Brett Cecil (wrist) continues on the 60-day injured list. Cecil had been shut down from throwing for an indefinite period since surgery following spring training. 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.
- C Yadier Molina suffered a bruised right thumb during Friday’s game and aggravated it on Sunday, but remained in both contests. X-rays were taken but came back negative.
Looking Ahead
Memorial Day is a travel day as St. Louis goes to Philadelphia to play the Phillies. The Cardinals will return to Busch Stadium for a weekend series against the Cubs. Starters in Philly are Wainwright, Cabrera and Hudson, with Mikolas held back to start the Friday opener against Chicago.
After a fourth consecutive Monday off, the Cardinals continue the homestand with a three game set vs. the Reds. The Redbirds then go to Wrigley Field to play the Cubs in a weekend series.
The 10-game road trip continues with three in Miami and a visit to New York for four against the Mets.
On June 17, the Redbirds return home to take on the Marlins again in a four-game series followed by a weekend interleague series against the Los Angeles Angels. This will mark the first return to Busch Stadium for former Cardinal Albert Pujols since he signed with the Angels after the 2011 season.
The Cardinals’ regular season schedule can be viewed here.
Blast from the Past
This weeks Blast from the Past remembers one aspect of the Hall of Fame pitching career of Bob Gibson. Gibson is arguably the best pitcher in Cardinals history, and has many accomplishments, including the record for lowest ERA in a single season. This article does not address that record but looks at an accomplishment often overlooked because it is rarely seen in today’s game.
The complete game for a pitcher is something for which most pitchers strive, even today. It rarely occurs anymore because of several factors, including increased focus on pitcher health, the wide use of relievers, and the statistical reality that pitchers are most often less effective after two turns through a batting order.
In the history of the Cardinals franchise, the pitcher with the most complete games is Bob Gibson. In Gibson’s 17-year career, all with St. Louis, Gibson pitched 255 complete games. Surprisingly, these 255 complete games exceeded his 251 total wins. The next closest to Gibson is Jesse Haines, with 208 complete games. In comparison, Adam Wainwright has the team’s most complete games since 2000 with 22. Even going back to 1990, the most complete games still belong to Wainwright.
Fans of today who never saw Gibson pitch probably cannot conceive of a starter pitching 255 complete games in a career, no matter how long his career was. It was not at all inconceivable in Gibson’s day.
Gibson tossed his last complete game May 21, 1975 against the Padres. The Cardinals lost the game 1-0. Gibson’s line in that game was 8IP 4H 0ER 3BB 1K in 29 batters faced.
Of Gibson’s 255 complete games, he was the winning pitcher in 199. Gibson pitched the most complete games in the month of June (48), followed by July (47) and May (46). Of his 46 complete games in May, three came on the same date, May 25. Complete game #165 was logged on May 25, 1965, a loss. On May 25, 1969, Gibson pitched a 4-0 shutout against the Dodgers. On May 25, 1972, he again pitched a complete game for a win, 4-2 against the Pirates. This was complete game #210.
The complete game for a pitcher seems to be a relic of the past at least except as a novelty. For Bob Gibson, it was the goal, and he accomplished that better than any other pitcher in franchise history.
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
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.
Get TCN’s New 2019 Prospect Guide
Order The Cardinal Nation’s 190-page 2019 Prospect Guide now – available in PDF with a special 50% off deal for annual members and printed book form, now $5 off.
Follow Marilyn Green on Twitter @Marilyncolor.
© 2019 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.