Cardinals v Giants: Bats quiet, can't solve Giants pitching in 2-0 loss.

Tonight's starting pitchers: Lance Lynn (2.95, ERA, 3.10 FIP, 3.53 xFIP) and Ryan Vogelsong (4.15 ERA, 4.76 FIP, 4.50 xFIP). Vogelsong was announced as tonight's starter after last night's game as Bruce Bochy and the Giants elected to delay new Gigante Mike Leake's return from the disabled list.

Also not starting the game tonight were Hunter Pence, who is having oblique trouble, Jason Heyward, nursing a hopefully minor hamstring tweak, and Peter Bourjos, because who the heck knows why.

When last we saw* Lance Lynn he was being pummeled to the tune of 6 hits and 7 runs (3 earned) in just .66667 innings pitched. There was blame to go around for that performance, the defense didn't do their job either. Hopefully we can all hand wave this away as Ordinary Baseball Weirdness and the Lance we all know and totally like-like will be back.

*of course some of use didn't see this at all, due to that game's entirely inhospitable 6:15 start time.

And apparently Michael Wacha's rain cloud fan club was delayed by that overturned truck on I-55 last night and only found their way to the stadium this evening. We had about a 30 minute rain delay at the start of this one.

But first, this:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Someone slap a monocle on him please. <a href="http://t.co/QqEC0zyGl6">pic.twitter.com/QqEC0zyGl6</a></p>&mdash; MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBGIFs/status/633797792196984837">August 19, 2015</a></blockquote>

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The Game

Really the only word for Cardinals pitching at this point is faburidicaroflcopter. Lynn and the relief corps gave up 2 runs on 6 hits and kept the game close all the way to the end. Unfortunately the Giants' staff allowed just 2 measly hits all night long, stifling the Cards' bats.

But Lynn looked like Lynn again and turned in a nice effort. His line:

Lynn: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, 117 pitches

Lynn didn't allow a hit until Brandon Crawford, leading off the 5th, hit a liner into deep left that clunked off Brandon Moss' glove. A tough play for Moss, but one he should have probably made.

The Giants' first run came in the 6th. Singles by Gregor Blanco and Matt Duffy, and a walk to Buster Posey loaded the bases with 1 out. Crawford's ground out to 3B scored Blanco and the Giants were on the board.

The second run was painful. After getting two outs in the 7th, Bochy sent Madison Bumgarner up to pinch hit. Yep. In the 7th with two outs in a 1 run game.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I mean ... other than Susac, this is the power on the bench, so ...</p>&mdash; Grant Brisbee (@mccoveychron) <a href="https://twitter.com/mccoveychron/status/633832409616658432">August 19, 2015</a></blockquote>

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MadBum dropped a single to LF. After walking Blanco, Lynn was at 111 pitches and gassed. Matheny, as is his pattern, kept Lynn in too long allowing him to walk Duffy as well to load the bases. Slave to the win, Matheny must have hoped that Lynn would get out of the inning without damage and that the offense could scratch out a run or two in the bottom half. But that didn't happen. What happened was Randy Choate was summoned to face Brandon Belt. Belt was hit by pitch, took his base and drove in a run. Seth Maness struck out Posey to put an end to things.

The Cards' best opportunities came in the first when Steven Piscotty singled, stole second easily for his first major league swipe and Moss walked, but Yadi ground to fielder's choice. Then in the 4th, Jhonny Peralta lead off with a double off the CF wall, but was left stranded at third.

Bulletpoints

• Pirates had an 8-3 lead over the Diamondbacks going into the 8th, but the Dbacks put together 5 runs over two innings to tie it up and send the game into extras. The game finally ended in the 15th with the Pirates winning 9-8.
• In the 4th, Tommy Pham made this nice running catch at the wall off a deep drive by Posey.
• Before things came apart in the 7th Moss made a nice grab running near foul territory on a deep fly by Lollis.

Tomorrow's baseballing will involve these same Giants who send Matt Cain (6.05 ERA, 5.50 FIP, 4.89 xFIP) to the hill while our Cardinals counter with HOTME Jaime Garcia (1.57 ERA, 3.17 FIP, 3.14 xFIP). It's one of those early 6:15 pm Central starts, so start drinking at work to get good and ready for game time.