Kim leads Cards to 5-3 Win over Giants in Opener

The Cardinals traveled to San Francisco to start a series with the Giants, looking to get back on track after dropping three out of four games to the Rockies over the weekend. Kwang Hyun Kim started for St. Louis, throwing seven shutout innings while giving up just three hits and two walks. Kevin Gausman pitched six no-hit innings for the Giants before the Cardinals broke through in the seventh, scoring two runs on three hits, including a Matt Carpenter triple. The Redbirds then managed to tack on three more insurance runs against what is normally a very solid Giants’ bullpen. Giovanny Gallegos made another relief appearance for the Cards and was tagged for one run that came off a solo shot. Alex Reyes pitched a very shaky ninth inning, allowing a walk and two hits that were good for two Giants runs in the frame, but he held on to secure a 5-3 win for St. Louis.

1st Inning

Dylan Carlson, hitting in the leadoff spot again for the Cards, popped out to third to start the game. Paul Goldschmidt worked a full count before drawing a walk. Nolan Arenado just missed a 2-0 fastball, flying out to Thairo Estrada in right field who made a jumping catch at the wall. Yadier Molina struck out on three pitches, swinging over a nasty splitter from Gausman.

Austin Slater began the bottom of the frame for the Giants, grounding out to second for the first out. Estrada smoked a grounder back up the middle and Edmundo Sosa made a great read on a tough hop to get the out. Wilmer Flores singled back up the middle for the first hit of the game. Darin Ruf stung a line drive into right, but Tommy Edman was positioned perfectly to catch it for the final out.

2nd Inning

Edman struck out swinging over another splitter to open the second inning. Matt Carpenter was called out on strikes, with two pitches hitting quite a bit off the outside corner for strikes two and three. Harrison Bader flared out to second to put the Cards down in order.

Donovan Solano tapped a slider back to KK, who threw it to first for out number one. Brandon Crawford followed with a one-out single but was erased when Jaylin Davis grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to close the frame.

3rd Inning

Sosa skied an 0-2 fastball to right for the first out of the third. KK then flew out to right and Carlson swung over yet another splitter to put the Cards down quietly again.

Curt Casali led off for the Giants in the third and popped a first-pitch slider to short for out number one. Gausman struck out swinging over a slider from KK. Slater singled to left to extend the inning, but Estrada struck out waving at a back-door slider for the final out.

4th Inning

Goldy got robbed of a broken-bat hit as Solano went into shallow right field to make a tough running catch. Arenado skied out to left for the second out. Yadi saw six pitches but fell victim to yet another splitter from Gausman, who had the Cards hitless through four innings.

Flores lifted a slider to right for the first out in the bottom of the fourth. On the second pitch to Ruf, KK looked to have hurt himself on the delivery as he stumbled awkwardly off the mound, but he threw a few practice pitches and stayed in the game. Ruf then drew a walk on a 3-2 changeup that missed off the plate. Solano skied out to right for the second out and Crawford grounded out into the shift to end the frame.

5th Inning

Edman chopped a first-pitch splitter to third for out number one. Carpenter managed a five-pitch walk. Bader blooped a fastball into shallow right that was caught on a phenomenal catch by Davis. Carpenter was unsure if the catch was going to be made and, as a result, was doubled off at first to end the fifth no-hit inning for Gausman.

Davis, Casali, and Gausman all grounded out in the bottom of the frame in which KK threw only six pitches.

6th Inning

Sosa smoked a grounder down the third baseline, but Flores made a fantastic diving stop to rob another hit. KK flew out to left for the second out. Carlson struck out as Gausman continued to dominate with his splitter through six hitless innings.

Slater chopped out to third to open the bottom of the inning. Estrada followed, grounding out to third himself. Flores flew out to deep center as the Giants went down quietly in the sixth.

7th Inning

Goldy laced a fastball straight to Crawford for the first out. Arenado golfed a splitter into left for the Cardinals’ first hit of the game. Yadi achieved a hat trick (and not the good kind) for the night with his third strikeout. Edman singled against the shift to extend the inning. Carpenter tripled off the wall as Slater misplayed it in center, allowing both runners to score for a 2-0 Cardinals lead. Bader then struck out chasing a splitter below the zone to end the threat.

Ruf drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Solano chopped into a fielder’s choice for the first out. Crawford then skied out center and Davis rolled out to Arenado, securing seven shutout frames for KK.

8th Inning

Zack Littell relieved Gausman in the eighth and retired Sosa on a groundout to second. Tyler O’Neill pinch-hit for KK and was thrown out after another nice backhand play by Flores at third. Carlson drew a two-out walk to extend the inning to Goldy, who dropped a soft single to right to move Carlson to third. Arenado followed with another single to right, scoring Carlson to make it 3-0 and move Goldy to third. A wild pitch to Yadi advanced Arenado to second but Yadi flew out to center to strand both runners.

Giovanny Gallegos got the call for the Cardinals in the eighth as Paul DeJong came in to play short, moving Sosa to second base. LaMonte Wade pinch-hit for Casali and struck out, frozen by a 1-2 fastball. Mike Yastrzemski pinch-hit for Littell and also struck out, waving at another high fastball. Alex Dickerson then pinch-hit for Slater and launched a 1-2 fastball to the top of the brick wall in right for a solo home run to bring the score to 3-1. Estrada swung over a 2-2 slider to send the game to the ninth.

9th Inning

Jimmie Sherfy pitched the ninth for the Giants and started by giving up a single to Edman. DeJong took a fastball to the shoulder blade to put two on with no outs. Bader singled back up the middle to score Edman, extending the Cards’ lead to 4-1. Sosa dropped a sacrifice bunt to move DeJong and Bader to second and third. Jose Rondon then pinch-hit for Gallegos and hit a sacrifice fly to center to stretch the lead to 5-1. The first pitch to Carlson went wild, allowing Bader to move to third. Carlson drew a two-out walk to put runners on the corners for Goldy, who flew out to right to end the threat.

Alex Reyes came in to close the game and surrendered a leadoff walk to Flores. Ruf singled to put runners at the corners. Solano also singled, closing the deficit to 5-2.

The 2-1 pitch to Crawford was spiked into the dirt in front of home, allowing both runners to advance to second and third. Crawford then popped out to shallow left for the first out. Steven Duggar, who came in as a defensive replacement earlier, grounded out to short as a run scored to make it 5-3. Wade then struck out on three pitches, giving the Cardinals a 5-3 win.

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The Cardinals sit at 42-44 after the win as the Giants drop to 53-31. The series continues at 8:45 PM CT on Tuesday, with Adam Wainwright facing off against former Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto.

Quick Notes

Jack Flaherty, while being placed on the 60-day injured list on July 3, was able to throw from the mound for the first time since his injury, as reported by Derrick Goold. He also gave some good news to go with the pinch-hit appearance by Tyler O’Neill, who was cleared to play shortly before the start of play on Monday.

Final Pitching Lines

Cardinals

Kim: 7 IP / 3 H / 0 R / 0 ER / 2 BB / 2 K / 0 HR

Gallegos: 1 IP / 1 H / 1 R / 1 ER / 0 BB / 3 K / 1 HR

Reyes: 1 IP / 2 H / 2 R / 2 ER / 1 BB / 1 K / 0 HR

Giants

Gausman: 7 IP / 3 H / 2 R / 2 ER / 2 BB / 8 K / 0 HR

Littell: 1 IP / 2 H / 1 R / 1 ER / 1 BB / 0 K / 0 HR

Sherfy: 1 IP / 2 H / 2 R / 2 ER / 1 BB / 0 K / 0 HR