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How's it look?
Lineup at ATL (5/6): Carpenter, 3b; Molina, c; Holliday, lf; Adams, 1b; Peralta, ss; Craig, rf; Jay, cf; Descalso, 2b; Lyons, lhp.
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 6, 2014
Daniel Descalso is starting. Jon Jay gets the start in centerfield against the righty. Yadier Molina is batting second. Eh...
Tonight's lineup vs. STL (7:10, SS/680AM/BRN): Heyward 9 JUpton 7 Freeman 3 Johnson 5 Laird 2 BUpton 8 Uggla 4 Floyd 1 Simmons 6
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 6, 2014
The pitcher is batting eighth again for the Braves. Dan Uggla gets the start at second base.
Matt Carpenter leads things off working a five pitch at bat that results in a groundout to second, followed by a Yadier Molina popup to center. Matt Holliday scorches a base hit into left field to become the first Cardinal baserunner of the game. Matt Adams ends the inning reaching for a pitch with a groundout to second. It is important to note that having just come off the DL, Braves starter Gavin Floyd may be on a pitch count. He was at 14 to end the first.
Tyler Lyons quickly coaxes a groundout to second base by Braves leadoff man Jason Heyward. Out number two comes via a flyout to Allen Craig in right field, who did have to battle the sun, but easily made the catch. Freddie Freeman is retired on one pitch. That pitch did happen to be left up in the zone, and was driven quite well, but right to the shifted Descalso.
Lyons should be good enough to give the Cards a chance this game. But which offense will show up? Will Mike Matheny use his bullpen correctly, especially with Trevor Rosenthal, Carlos Martinez, and Kevin Siegrist seeing a bulk of the work lately?
***
The game remains scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Lyons gives up solo homerun to Justin Upton to break up his perfect game. Don't worry though, Ty Ly is too pretty to be brought down for long. According to Jimmy Ballgame, the homerun was hit off a changeup, where all the other outs were on fastballs. Tyler gets the other two outs, without much issue.
I demanded runs be scored in the top of the six, after Lyons was able to work himself out of a jam after a Matt Carpenter error extended the bottom of the fifth and put put men on first and second with two outs. Ask and you shall receive. Carpenter works a leadoff walk, water is wet, and after advancing to second on the Molina groundout (hit and run was on), was driven home by a Matt Holliday single.
Matts Matted In: 1 (Carpenter by Holliday)
Things would get a little messy in the bottom of the sixth. It began with a two out walk to Freddie Freeman, and was worsened by a typical Chris Johnson dumpy hit. Lyons would not be so easily frightened, however, and would strike out Gerald Laird in beautiful fashion. Tyler Lyons is really pretty, but his night would be over.
Tyler Lyons - 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (87 pitches/59 strikes). Randal Grichuk to pinch-hit.
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 7, 2014
This seemed like a good move. Then we realized this:
Keep an eye on #stlcards bullpen tonight. Martinez unavailable after pitching three straight days; Rosenthal, Siegrist possibly out, too.
— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) May 6, 2014
Everyone fasten your seatbelts. It is Maness time. There was someone who held out hope and encouragement.
I believe in you, Darling. Don't let me down!
— Heather Simon (@lil_scooter93) May 7, 2014
What a wise and wonderful young woman!
The eighth inning was not so fun. There were walks and stupid Chris Johnson. Specifically, a Justin Upton walk issued by Randy Choate, followed by a Freeman jammed hit that hit off Choate's ankle and landed in the clutches of Matt Carpenter. Then Chris Johnson grounded one past the outstretched hands of Dirty Dan for the game winner. Matt Holliday got double switched out of the game, so that was cool. Cards down 2-1. Good thing it is only Craig Kimbrel pitching the ninth.
And that sucked, as expected. Strikeouts from Matt Adams and Allen Craig sandwich a Jhonny Peralta popup to end the game.
Oh well. We were about to run out of pitchers anyway.
Source: FanGraphs
LIL SCOOTER'S PAIN IN THE ASS OF THE GAME:
Congratulations to Chris Johnson. He leads all players with .266 WPA, .257 coming from the game winning hit, going 2-4 with two singles.
Tweet/Gamethread Comment of the Game:
I hope these cheer you up.
Tyler Lyons Postgame Quote:
"Uhh... What are you asking?"
Hey, six years ago today this happened!
Okay, I feel better now. Tomorrow Adam Wainwright takes the hill against Mike Minor at 6:10pm as the Cards go for the series win. Let's hope they do, because I hate giving other teams joy.