Well, this one wasn’t as fun as last Friday. The Cardinals lost 4-1 to the Padres at Petco Park tonight, and they largely did it to themselves.
Pitching Matchup
Adam Wainwright vs. Andrew Cashner!
Baseball Game
Wainwright was bad. This is just a recap of one game, so maybe let's not get into it, but he's been BAD and it's a thing. The Padres came into tonight having struck out in 25% of their plate appearances, but Waino only got two strikeouts (one against the pitcher) and didn’t get enough soft contact to make up for that -- same story all year so far. Tonight he gave up three runs, including one home run (and, on a warmer night in another stadium, two or three more).
But three runs isn’t that many, and down 3-1, the Cardinals had obvious chances to get them back. In the 5th inning, they got the first two runners on. Although obviously not pitching very well, Wainwright was allowed to go up and bunt -- which he successfully did, although really Cashner should've had the lead runner. But Matt Carpenter struck out looking and couldn’t get the run in from 3rd, and Stephen Piscotty grounded out to end the threat. Then in the 7th, they got the first two on again, but Aledmys Diaz got himself thrown out at the plate trying to score – with nobody out – from third on a fumbled throw in from the OF. And again, they didn’t score at all.
So, look: baseball’s a series of events that the players can’t really control. But they can do things to give themselves better odds of good outcomes. Not swinging at strike three with one out and a guy on third isn’t one of those things; breaking for home with nobody out on an errant throw on the infield isn’t, either. There’s no guarantee the Cards would have ended the 7th tied 3-3 if Carpenter offers at that pitch and Diaz cools his jets – far from it! – but it sure would have been a lot more likely.
Anyway, they went to the bottom of the 7th down 3-1 instead of tied, and that meant Seth Maness came in to relieve Wainwright instead of somebody good. He gave up a couple of doubles and a run to make it 4-1 Padres.
The baseball playing continued but the score didn't change, and that was it. The Cardinals lost, and are back to .500.
Scorecard
Stray Notes
- Kolten Wong was the brightest spot of the night for the Cardinals. He hit the ball hard in both his plate appearances (before being lifted for Aledmys Diaz with a LHP in the game for SD) and had a couple of sparkling defensive plays (the MLB.tv highlights include both). He can make a huge difference for this team if he plays up to his potential on both sides of the ball all year.
- Jim Edmonds was in the booth tonight. It's probably just that Al is the worst, but... Jim Edmonds should always be in the booth.
- The Padres played in their brown-and-yellows, and should DEFINITELY always do that.
- Yadier Molina made one of those plays that makes you just love him, on a bunt with a runner on second:
- Randal Grichuk hit a long home run, so the Cardinals didn't get shut out. Some other guys hit not-Petco home runs, maybe, but Gunrick ain't care.
- Baseball games played at this hour are inhumane.