In case the recap isn't covered tonight, I thought I would volunteer.
Tonight's game had a little of everything. A 3-HR game by Goldschmidt, a confounding strike zone, a balk, good baserunning, a Molina passed ball and plenty of time to showcase the bullpens. In the end, the Cards came out on top.
The Cards got on the board immediately in the 1st. Carpenter worked a walk, and Goldschmidt worked Peralta to a 10-pitch at bat, the last of which was a low and in fastball that Goldschmidt golfed for a 2-run HR to left to give the Cards a 2-0 lead. DeJong was hit in the ribs by a pitch and forced by Ozuna. Molina launched a double that one-hopped the left-center field fence to score Ozuna all the way from first to give the Cards a 3-0 lead. Fowler walked but yesterday’s heroes Wong and Bader struck out back-to-back to end the threat. Despite not being able to do more damage, we did force Peralta to throw 39 pitches in the 1st inning. We had a chance to get another run when Ozuna hit a lazy ground ball just inside the 3rd base line for a double, got moved to third on a ground ball out up the middle by Ozuna (Moustakas saved a run with a diving play at second) and a Fowler walk. But Wong popped up on the first pitch and Bader struck out badly on a slider in the dirt to end the threat and seemed ticked that the home plate umpire concluded he didn’t check his swing without asking for an appeal.
The Brewers tied the game in the third. Cain nibbled a slider off the end of the bat for an infield single when DeJong couldn’t backhand it in time. After walking Yelich on 4 pitches, Flaherty hung a 2-1 slider to Braun who launched it over the left-center field wall for a 3-run HR to tie the game 3-3. Flaherty has not been able to command his secondary pitches at all tonight, unfortunately. The Cards got something going in the 4th when Flaherty lined a base hit to right and Carpenter moved him to 2nd with a soft fly to right-center that dropped under the outstretched glove of the diving Yelich. Peralta was lifted from the game after 80 pitches and the Brewers turned things over to righty Matt Albers to face the heart of our order. Goldschmidt smoked a line drive to dead center, deep enough to allow Flaherty to tag up and go to third. DeJong hit a slider off the end of the bat for a bloop that tailed and dropped just inside the right field line for a base hit to score Flaherty, move Carpenter to 2nd and give the Cards the 4-3 lead. Ozuna struck out looking on a 1-2 slider that looked off the plate and had been called a ball when Flaherty was pitching. Albers moved his shoulders before stepping off the mound which was a balk that moved Carpenter to 3rd and DeJong to 2nd. Molina walked to load the bases. Fowler struck out to end that threat.
The Brewers answered right back in the 4th. Aguilar poked a 1-2 slider through the hole into left for a grounded base hit. Flaherty then grooved a fastball to Moustakas who lined it down the right field line for a double to move Aguilar to 3rd. Grandal lined a hanging curveball to deep left which Ozuna caught on the run for a Sac Fly to score Aguilar and tie the game 4-4. But Flaherty escaped with minimal damage when he got Arcia to softly line to third and struck out Thames swinging on a slider in the dirt. It looked close, to say the least, on whether Thames was able to hold up.
After Wong walked to leaf off the top of the 5th, Shildt elected not to put on the gas with 1 out, instead leaving Flaherty in the game to sacrifice Wong to second. After the Cards couldn’t capitalize, surprisingly Flaherty came back out for the 5th. Cain lined a high fastball to left for a leadoff base hit. With Yelich at bat, Flaherty threw a curveball in the dirt while Cain tried to steal second. Yadi picked it up and threw a strike to second, throwing Cain out. He looked safe, but the play was reviewed and the call was upheld. That changed the complexion of the game because Yelich lined a base hit to left. With Flaherty done after 89 pitches and 4.1 IP, Gant came in to relieve and struck out Braun and Shaw to end the inning.
Taylor Williams came in to pitch the 6th for the Brewers and hung a 3-2 slider for Goldschmidt who jacked it into left-center for a solo HR to give the Cards a 5-4 lead. In the 7th, the Cards scored an insurance run on Jacob Barnes. Wong sharply grounded a ball up the middle for a hit, and in a smart baserunning move, was able to advance to 2nd when Bader flied out to the track in deep left-center field, just missing a homer. J. Martinez pinch hit for Gant and struck out swinging badly on a 3-2 slider in the dirt, but Carpenter came through with a 2-out liner to right center just over the 2nd baseman’s head for a base hit to score Wong and give the Cards a 6-4 lead. Goldschmidt then tattooed a hanging slider way up in the seats in left-center for a 2-run HR, his third of the night, to give the Cards a comfortable 8-4 lead.
The Cards got yet another insurance run in the 8th off of Chase Anderson. Molina walked with 1 out, and Fowler lined a base hit to right to move him to 3rd. With 2 out and Bader at the plate, Anderson threw a wild pitch that allowed Molina to score to increase the Cards’ lead to 9-4. After Gant shut down the Brewers for 1.2 IP and Reyes closed out the 7th, Miller came in to pitch the 8th and gave up a leadoff solo shot to Yelich on an inside fastball to cut the Cards’ lead to 9-5. He also missed location and hit Moustakas on the right hand with an inside pitch, but Moose stayed in the game. Although Miller did not look so hot, he escaped further damage.
In the 9th, Goldschmidt came up again with 1 out and first base open after O'Neill, pinch hitting for Miller doubled to left-center to lead off the inning. But the Brewers ordered him intentionally walked him. If I didn't know any better, the boos were loud enough at the stadium to include some Brewers fans in the chorus. Hicks's slider was working well and shut the Brewers down with 2 strikeouts in the 9th in a non-save situation for the 9-5 victory.
