Cardinals hold off another late-inning Nats comeback, winning 7-6 to take the series
What a doozie tonight. Another long, hard fought ballgame. It’s never easy this point of the season is it? Sheesh. September baseball at its finest tonight. A million runs and a million hits, which translated to a Cardinals victory, their 11th series win their past 12 series. With that being said, you’re gonna get another short, kick-ass recap. Let’s dig in.
Early Runs:
The Cardinals tabbed 5 runs on Tanner Roark thru his first 2 innings of work, totaling 7 hits. In fact, the first 4 Cardinals would reach base to start the evening: Leadoff Guy single to RF, Cafecíto single to RF, Big City 3-run bomb to RF (first pitch), Swags (4-5) single to RF. Roark then struck out Pauly looking at a fastball and proceeded that inducing a twin killing on Yadi, 4-6-3 on the play. The Cards plated their 2 runs in the 2nd with 2 outs, a typical Cardinals thing. The Lizard King helped himself reaching on an infield single, chopping the ball to Rendon who double clutched the throw. Carp then doubled (if you wanna call it that) to CF, as Harper lost the ball in the lights, scoring Mikolas to make it 4-0. Cafecíto followed that with an RBI single to RF, sliding into 2B with a sneaky slide on the throw home to try and get Carp.
The Liz King:
Mikolas was exactly what the bullpen needed tonight, lasting almost 7 innings, working 6.2 strong. Mikolas scattered 12 hits this evening. Which means he got some necessary help from his defense. Prime example was to end the 1st inning after a two-out Harper double. Rendon singled to Harry in CF, who played the short hop on a do-or-die play, firing a frozen rope home to gun down Harper at the plate. Harry being Harry. Mikolas retired the next 5 in-a-row, picking up his only 2 k’s along the way on Soto (curveball) and Roark (slider). With two outs the Nats would put together 3 hits (2 infield singles) to load the bases for Rendon: Eaton single to RF, Turner infield single, Harper infield single. Rendon would ground out to Carp to strand the bases juiced.
Mikolas has his most efficient inning in the 4th. After Soto opened the inning with a single to LF, Zimmerman would line out to a leaping Carp at the hot corner. Mikolas ended the inning on his 9th pitch, getting Difo to ground into a 4-6-3 double play.
Cardinals 5th & 6th inning insurance:
The Cardinals added two more runs to their already gigantic lead, getting a solo HR from Big City, his second big fly of the game to make it 6-0. Big City got a changeup from Roark this time, demolishing the first pitch again. Yairo Muñoz wanted to get in on the HR action with one out in the 6th, crushing a solo shot to LF off Kyle McGowin (ML debut).
Nats Comeback Push:
The Nats would make things interesting late, pushing across 6 runs to bring things within one run. Eaton would hit an RBI double to drive in Robles in the 5th off Mikolas. Difo added another RBI double in the 6th, scoring Zimmerman after reaching on an infield single. The Lizard King worked two quick outs to begin the 7th, getting Eaton and Turner before giving up back-to-back hits to Harper and Rendon, forcing Shildt to go to his pen in Dakota Hudson. Hudson struggled, looking as if he was gassed. Soto walked to load the bases and Zimmerman made it count, pounding a bases clearing double to RF to make 7-5. Difo followed that lining an RBI single to Bader, Zimmerman sneaking under the throw from Bader and tag from Yadi to make it a one-run game, 7-6.
Tsunami:
Carlos came in to close things out with a 6-out save, his first save since September of 2014. Carlos looked the best he’s looked since being placed in the bullpen, returning from the DL. Tsunami struck out 4 over the final two innings, working around a little trouble in the 9th. Rendon (single) and Soto (E3) reached base to begin the bottom of the 9th, forcing all of us into TCS (Tight Cheeks Syndrome). Tsunami then punched out Zimmerman on a front door slider, Difo flew out to Bader, and Taylor whiffed at a FILTHY slider to end the game.
The Cardinals (78-62) have an off-day tomorrow as they are currently on a #happyflight heading to Detroit to take on the Tigers (57-83).
Austin Gomber* (5-0, 2.77) gets the ball rolling in game-one from the Motor City. He is matched up against the lefty, Daniel Norris* (0-3, 5.49).
Thanks for reading, cheers!
Game 140 is in the books
by Stew/@StewStilez
