Game two of this series would be a game started by two left-handed hurlers, Matt Moore vs Kwang Hyun Kim (making his season debut). Moore has been struggling for years now, it’s really no secret, and he’s still searching for it right now in that Phillies rotation.
The afternoon would start off promising for Moore though, as the lefty would work two hitless/scoreless frames, striking out three. He was able to work around back-to-back walks to being the day, throwing just six strikes in the 1st inning on 17 pitches.
KK would run into some early issues, needing to throw 30 pitches just to escape the 1st inning with the bases loaded and only one run given up. After getting McCutchen and Segura to start his afternoon, KK would allow the next four batters to reach base. Hoskins (3-5) would single to CF, Realmuto would be HBP, Bohm would drop in an RBI single to score Hoskins to make it 1-0, and Didi would work a walk to load the bases.
Kim would pick up his first of four k’s to end the inning, getting Matt Joyce to whiff at a slider, as all four of Kim’s k’s would come via the slider.
The real fun would get started in the top of the 3rd vs Moore with 2 outs. Goldy (2-4) would start the run surge with a single into LF, Arenado worked a free pass, and Yadi cashed in big time with a 3-run donkey shot to LF to give the Cards a 3-1 lead!! Pauly Deez wouldn’t waste any time following up that blast, sending a solo shot of his own over the CF wall at 105mph to extend the lead to 4-1. Austin Dean would draw a walk next, bringing in Carlson who would rip an RBI double into the LF corner to make it 5-1. After a J Will intentional walk, KK would slap a grounder down to Bohm at 3B, who would then commit a throwing error on his throw to Hoskins at 1B, allowing Carlson to score to make it 6-1.
The Phillies would cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the 3rd, capitalizing on the leadoff hits from Segura (single) and Hoskins (double). Realmuto would softly tap a ball in front of home plate and Yadi would pounce all over it and fire to Goldy at 1B, giving a run up on the play for the easy first out to make it a 6-2 game. Bohm would come up next and send a sac-fly to Dean in LF to score Hoskins to make it a 6-3 game.
KK would end his season debut by striking out his fourth batter of the game, getting Matt Joyce for the second time on the slider.
KK would throw 68 pitches (42 strikes)- 3IP, 5 hits, 3ER, bb/ 4k’s
The bats would get those runs back in the top of the 4th, teeing off some more on the lefty, Romero.
Goldy-Arenado-Molina would greet him and eventually chase him from the game to leadoff the inning. Goldy would send his second single to LF, and Nado responded with his 4th blast of the year, a two-run shot to LF to make it 8-3. Yadi decided he wasn’t done on adding in on the fun, cranking his second big fly of the day, involving himself in back-to-back jacks in the same game!! How wild. Oh, by the way, that’s cleanup hitter, Yadier Molina.
Yadi would add a third XBH in the 6th with a leadoff double, racking up 10 total bases for the day.
The bullpen (Helsley, Webb, Hicks, Cabrera, Reyes) would be tasked with getting the final 18 outs of the game, and they’d come through with no issues.
Helsley would pick up his 2nd win of the year, working 1.2IP, striking out 3. Helsley has been dialing up that fastball more and more with each appearance he makes, certainly a good sign seeing the FB velocity hitting 97-99 consistently.
Webb would work two thirds of an inning, walking one and striking out one.
Jordan Hicks, working in another low leverage situation, would throw 1.2IP and toss 32 pitches. Hicks wouldn’t allow a hit, walking one and punching out three on three different pitches (changeup, sinker, slider), running the sinker up to 101mph today.
Cabrera would work a 1-2-3 8th, needing just 14 pitches, striking out Moniak (entered game in 6th for Joyce) on a filthy curveball at 80mph.
Alex Reyes would get the final inning, struggling a bit with his command, giving up two walks that would eventually load the bases with only one out.
Reyes would buckle down and strand the bases juiced, getting Bohm to pop out to Edman (infield fly rule) and Didi Gregorius to line out sharply to Carlson in RF for the final out, sealing a Cardinals 9-4 victory to even the series at a game a piece.
Johnny Gant (0-1, 3.00) will look to give the Cardinals their second series win of the year, going to battle against a good one, Aaron Nola (0-1, 3.45). First pitch from Philly is scheduled for 12:05pm c/t.
Cheers, Stew