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Game 19 Recap and Odds and Ends--Wainwright only goes 3 and Cards lose 5-4 after rallying for a chance to tie it


This was one of those games that just slogged along, and just when it started to get interesting, the rug got pulled out from under us. In another blue-collar 6-pitching change special, the Cards got down early, and came back late to within a run, only to waste a couple of golden opportunities to tie the game. Fowler continued to ride his BABIP streak with a 2-2 day with 2 walks, and Lane Thomas hit a solo shot in his first MLB plate appearance. Jose Martinez went 3 for 5 with an RBI single, and those were about the only bright spots, other than the bullpen doing their level best to keep the game close. In truth, the score could have been much worse, as the Mets left 12 men on base, and went 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position.

With 1 out in the 1st, Pete Alonso softly grounded a ball towards the hole for Carpenter at 3rd. The play at 1st was real close and the umpire called him out. The Mets challenged, and to prove that ties do not go the runner, the call on the field was upheld. Robinson Cano drove a 2-1 center-cut 89 mph fastball over J. Martinez’s head in right-center to the wall for a standup double. Michael Conforto walked on 4 pitches to put runners at 1st and 2nd for Wilson Ramos, who softly grounded a curveball up the middle off of the diving Wong’s glove for a base hit. Conforto moved to 3rd and Cano scored to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. J.D Davis hit an outside hanging curveball to the right-center field gap for a double to score Conforto, move Ramos to 3rd and extend the Mets’ lead to 2-0. Amed Rosario flied out to right to end the inning. To lead off the Cards’ half of the 1st, Carpenter bunted for a base hit to the opposite field against the shift on a 3-1 inside fastball. He was stranded when Goldschmidt and DeJong struck out and Ozuna flied to the track in left-center.

To start the 2nd, Lagares singled to right-center just past the diving Wong. The pitcher Vargas sacrificed him to 2nd. Jeff McNeil struck out on an inside cutter on a 3-2 pitch. With 2 out, Alonso grounded a 3-2 curveball to DeJong, who booted it for an error to allow Lagares to move to 3rd. Cano lined an 0-1 hanging curveball to right for a base hit to extend the Mets lead to 3-0. Martinez bobbled it for a bit in right and the fielding error allowed Alonso to move to 3rd. With runners at the corners, Conforto walked on 4 pitches to load the bases. Wilson Ramos struck out looking to strand the bases loaded. He struck out on 3 pitches, looking at 2 fastballs, and a cutter that looked like it was just a bit outside. The Cards stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the 2nd. After Martinez’s hit was erased when Molina grounded into a double play, Fowler walked. Wong reached on an error when SS Amed Rosario could not get the ball out of his glove to throw to 1st. Wainwright struck out to end the threat.

With 1 out in the 3rd, Rosario sharply grounded a fastball up the middle for a base hit. Lagares grounded a slow roller to 2nd for Wong. Wong was right in the base line, the ball went off his glove and he and Rosario bumped into each other. The play was ruled a single to put runners at 1st and 2nd. But Wainwright escaped further damage by striking the pitcher Vargas out looking and getting McNeil to ground to 2nd. With 2 out in the 3rd, DeJong walked. Vargas had him picked off first, but he took too long to throw it over there and DeJong winded up stealing 2nd base. Ozuna flied to deep to the track in right-center. Lagares and Conforto ran into to each other in the outfield, but Lagares was able to hold onto a snowcone catch. With Wainwright already having thrown 76 pitches through 3 innings, Alonso worked the count to 3-2 before taking a walk to leadoff the 4th. Cano hit a hanging curveball over Martinez’s head in right to one-hop the wall for a double. Shildt brought in Gallegos to relieve, and he struck out Conforto looking on an up-and-away fastball that just hit the corner. Ramos hit a slow roller to 3rd for a groundout to score Alonso and extend the Mets’ lead to 4-0. Cano stayed put at 2nd base on the play for no good reason at all. After Davis walked to put runners at 1st and 2nd, Rosario struck out to end the inning.

J. Martinez finally got the Cards on the board when he hit a hanging changeup over the center field wall for his first HR over the year to cut the Mets’ lead to 4-1. Helsley came out to pitch the 5th for the Cards, and he retired the Mets in order for the first time in the ballgame. Righty Seth Lugo came out to pitch the bottom of the 5th despite the starter Vargas only having thrown 75 pitches. Carpenter led off the inning with a looping base hit down the right field line. He was hustling the whole way and made it into 2nd for a double, just beating the tag. Goldschmidt hit a fastball off of his fists towards the 1st baseman Alonso. Alonso went to his left to get it, but couldn’t get his glove on it. Goldschmidt was hustling as well, and he just beat the throw to 1st. That was ruled a base hit and the Cards had runners at the corners for DeJong. DeJong got jammed and broke his bat on a slow roller towards short. The pitcher raced off the pitcher’s mound and threw DeJong out at 1st, and on a touchy read for Carpenter, he stayed put at 3rd base. Goldschmidt advanced to 2nd on the play. Ozuna chased a slider way outside the zone for the 2nd out, and J. Martinez also struck out to end the threat.

Helsley came back out for the 6th and Alonso crushed a low 97 mph fastball for a liner over the center field fence and a solo shot to increase the Mets’ lead to 5-1. It was a good pitch and Alonso put an impressive swing on it. With 1 out in the 6th, Fowler roped a ground rule double down the right field line. With 2 out, Lane Thomas pinch hit for Helsley and flied an outside slider to deep right field. It clearly bounced over the wall, over the State Farm sign in right. It was initially ruled a triple, but on replay, Thomas was properly awarded a 2-run HR to cut the Mets lead to 5-3 on his first career PA. Leone came out to pitch the 7th for the Cards. After Davis singled to right to open the inning and Lagares sacrificed him to 2nd with 1 out, Shildt brought in Tyler Webb to pitch after the lefty pinch hitter Dominic Smith was announced as hitting for the pitcher Lugo. Smith flew out to right to strand the runner.

After Jeurys Familia retired the top of the Cards’ order in order in the bottom of the 7th, Tyler Webb came back out for the top of the 8th. Alonso singled to left with 1 out, and Conforto worked a 2-out walk. Shildt then brought in Brebbia to pitch to Wilson Ramos, and he retired him on a broken-bat grounder to 1st. With Familia still on the mound in the 8th, Molina laced a double down the left field line with 1 out. The Mets brought in lefty Justin Wilson to turn Fowler over to the right side. Fowler shaply grounded an inside 96 mph fastball down the 3rd base line. 3rd baseman J.D. Davis made a diving stop and tried to throw to 1st from his knees. The throw was wide towards 2nd and 1st baseman Alonso tried to pick it out of the ground, but it went into the outfield. Molina scored to cut the Mets’ lead to 5-4, and Fowler went to 2nd base. It was ruled a single and a throwing error. Wilson threw a cutter in the dirt that got away from the catcher and Fowler went to 3rd on the wild pitch. Wong walked on 4 pitches to put runners at the corners with still only 1 out. The Cards announced Gyorko as the pinch hitter for Brebbia, and the Mets countered with righty Robert Gsellman. Gyorko popped a hanging slider up to 2nd base, Carpenter grounded a changeup to the 1st baseman, and the Cards wasted a golden opportunity to tie the game.

Gant came out for the 9th and retired the Mets in order on 8 pitches with 1 strikeout. Righty Edwin Diaz came on for the bottom of the 9th to pitch to the heart of our order. Goldschmidt struck out swinging late on a 96 mph fastball. DeJong smoked a slider towards third, but Jeff McNeil, who had just moved to 3rd on a double switch, made a leaping catch to rob DeJong of extra bases. Ozuna walked to bring up J. Martinez, who fought off some tough pitches before sharply grounding an outside 98 mph fastball for a base hit to right to move Ozuna to 3rd. But Molina flied to center field to end the game.

Odds and Ends: Lane Thomas became the 10th Cardinal player in history to hit a HR in his first ever MLB PA. The Brewers lost their second game in a row to the Dodgers. The Dodgers broke a 2-2 tie in the 8th off of Josh Hader when Kike Hernandez hit a 3-run HR after Pollock and Freese had walked...The Cubs beat the D-Backs 4-1 behind the starting pitching performance of Kyle Hendricks, who hurled 7 innings with 2 BB and 11 SO. Kris Bryant went 2-4 with a double, 2 BB and 2 RBIs...The Pirates scored 4 runs off of Giants starter Madison Bumgarner in the 1st inning, all with 2 outs, and that was enough to win the ballgame. After getting the first two outs of the inning, he allowed 1 walk, 3 singles and a double...The Reds and Padres are tied 1-1 in the top of the 9th, with both team's runs coming on HRs--Suarez for the Reds in the 1st, and Tatis for the Padres in the 6th. Each team only has 2 hits...Alex Reyes was supposed to start last night for Memphis, but the game was rained out. Tonight's game was postponed as well, so the Redbirds will play a doubleheader against San Antonio tomorrow...Memphis is now carrying 3 catchers, as Francisco Pena was added to the Memphis roster 2 days ago from extended spring training. Apparently, he didn't find another job...Palm Beach was also rained out and will also play a doubleheader tomorrow...Springfield lost 1-0. Both teams had 4 hits, and Anthony Shew pitched a fine game, going 7 IP with 4 H, 0 BB and 5 SO. He gave up 3 of his 4 hits in the 5th, all singles, to allowe the 1 run to score. The difference was that the Cards could not capitalize on the 5 BBs allowed by the opposing starter, left 8, and were 0-4 with runners in scoring position. Peoria lost 4-3, as reliever Sebastian Tabata allowed 3 runs and 5 BB in the 8th inning to break a 1-1 tie. 4 of the walks came right in a row, with 2 with the bases loaded. He also threw a wild pitch. Nolan Gorman had 2 of the Chiefs' 5 hits, and the only extra base hit.