Cardinals v Brewers recap: Adam Wainwright leaves with ankle injury, Cards win 5-3

Tonight featured Adam Wainwright (1.71 ERA, 2.13 FIP, 3.08 xFIP) against the Brewers Wily Peralta (5.68 ERA, 4.87 FIP, 4.51 xFIP).

Peralta's strikeout rate has plummeted so far this year, managing just 3.79 K/9 at the start of the day.

After taking a foul tip off his knee last night, Yadier Molina was given the day off.

Molina says right knee is still sore, tight. This isn't a DL injury, though, and #STLCards weren't concerned enough to summon extra catcher.

— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) April 25, 2015

The Game

Really, little else matters compared to the terror of a potential Wainwright injury. Waino limped out of the batter's box after he popped up in the top of the 5th. He was favoring his left ankle immediately.

Waino to get MRI on Monday. #stlcards aren't speculating, but haven't ruled out possible achilles injury.

— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) April 26, 2015

Stay tuned to Viva El Birdos for further updates as they occur.

Despite the near-nightmare scenario of watching the staff ace limp to the dugout, a baseball game was in fact played to completion.

The Birdos got an early lead in the second as Kolten Wong ripped a triple to center over the outstretched glove of Gerardo Parra, driving in Mark Reynolds from first. The relay from Jean Segura had a chance to nail Wong at third, but it went wide and Wong went all the way around to score. 2 - 0 Cardinals

In the bottom of the second Adam Lind doubled just past Jay's glove, but Aramis Ramirez ripped a line-into-double-play to Jhonny Peralta who then flipped to Wong.

Then, another non-GIDP in the bottom of the fourth. With Segura at first, Parra seriously got under a bunt attempt and lofted it way into the air. Wong caught it on the fly, then tagged Segura for the twin kill. Why Segura just kept running into that out is anyone's guess.

Adam Wainwright has allowed a leadoff hit in three of four innings, but has so far faced the minimum. #stlcards

— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) April 26, 2015

He also had 4 strikeouts to go along with the double plays behind him. But that would be the end of Wainwright's night.

After the injury, Matheny brought in Mitch Harris in for his MLB debut. Harris pitched 1.1 innings, gave up 2 hits and 2 walks and struck out one, but allowed no runs. And now is forever enshrined as an actual major-league baseball player. Matt Belisle took care of the rest of the sixth and the seventh.

Somewhere in the middle innings, MLB Gameday / At Bat lost its tiny little mind. If you want to know what happened in this game, don't trust much of what you see there.

In the seventh, the Cardinals added some much-needed insurance. Matt Holliday hit a bomb to right center with Matt Carpenter and Jason Heyward already on the pond. 5 - 0 Redbird lead.

Kevin Siegrist came in to work the eighth and put runners at the corners with two outs. Then Matheny lifted lefty Seigrist to bring in lefty Randy Choate to face lefty Lind, who promptly singed in the Brewers first run of the night. Choate, his lone batter faced, was replaced by Seth Maness. Seth plunked Khris Davis to load the bases and set up legendary Cardinals killer Aramis Ramirez. A Ram drove in 2 more with a double to left. 5 - 3 Cardinals now.

But, Maness was able to finish the eighth without further damage, as well as complete the ninth giving Trevor Rosenthal and Jordan Walden a night off.

Other Things:

• Matt Carpenter continues his Dublin with another tonight.
• Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was tossed in the seventh during a Brewers pitching change. He's seen a lot of bad baseball lately and the strikezone tonight was a mess. He probably deserved a few innings away.
• Your WPA leaders tonight: Wainwright (.208), Belisle (.152), Wong (.112)

Source: FanGraphs

Tomorrow Lance Lynn faces Mike Fiers at 1:10 Central in the land of beer and cheese.