Pauly Deez paces the bats with 3 RBI, leading to 8-1 victory over Sánchez and the Braves
Aníbal Sánchez and Big-G matched up tonight in game-two from SunTrust Park. Sánchez held the Cardinals hitless thru the first 3 innings, facing the minimum.
KoWo would reach base to leadoff the 3rd, getting hit by a pitch, later getting thrown out at 2B trying to swipe his 7th bag.
Sánchez had the strikeout pitch working too, striking out 5 the first time thru the order, 3 coming on his best pitch, the splitter.
The Braves would strand 3 runners on base thru their first 2 innings, Freeman lining a two-out single into CF in the 1st. Gomber struck out Markakis on a slider next, ending the inning on 13 pitches.
After stranding Camargo (error) and Culberson (IBB) in the 2nd inning, the Braves would plate the games first run leading off the bottom of the 3rd.
Ronald Acuña Jr. kept doing what he does best, and that’s absolutely demolish baseballs. Acuña clubbed a solo shot to CF for the 1-0 ATL lead.
Gomber then got the next two batters, Albies striking out on a changeup and Freeman grounding out to Carp.
But then in a blink of an eye, the next three reached base to load the bases for Inciarte. Markakis doubled to RF, Camargo walked, and Suzuki walked.
Gomber escaped the early jam on his 30th pitch, getting the former Gold Glove CFer to line out to a future Gold Glove CFer.
The Cardinals answered back in the top of the 4th. After Sánchez recorded his 6th k of the evening on Carp to begin the inning, Cafecíto would rip the Cards first hit of the game, a single to LF.
A pitch later, Pauly Deez gave the Cardinals the lead, smacking his 19th HR of the season to LCF.
Gomber bounced back with a shutdown inning, working his way around a leadoff single from Culberson. Sánchez then tried sac-bunting, popping out to Trap House. Gomber then picked up bak-to-back k’s to end the inning, getting Acuña on a slider and Albies on some cheddar.
Sánchez would last two more innings, giving up fly two more hits, while striking out 9 total thru 6 innings.
Sánchez final line: (6IP, 4 hits, 2r/2er, 0 bb, 9 k’s, 89 pitches)
Gomber would work his final inning in the 5th, allowing 2 hits, stranding both runners on base. Freeman opened the inning with a single to RF, Markakis reached on a 4-6 fielder’s choice, and Suzuki lined a two-out single into CF, moving Markakis to 3B. Inciarte, again, would be the final out with runners left on the pond, lining out to Swags.
Gomber’s final line: (5IP, 6 hits, 1r/1er, 3 bb, 5 k’s, 98 pitches)
The Cardinals bullpen would piece together 4 scoreless innings (Brebbia, Hicks, Leone, Mayers) to close the game out this evening. Brebs, Hicks, and Leone would hold them hitless over the course of the next 3 innings, striking out 5.
Brebbia threw an 11 pitch 6th inning, striking out two, getting Acuña on a slider looking to end the inning.
Hicks worked a 13 pitch 7th inning, striking out Albies on the filthiest sinker he’s probably thrown all season. I kind of felt bad for Albies offering at this, because it was impossible to make any sort of contact with this pitch.
The Cardinals would add 4 insurance runs in the top of the 8th, getting things going with a one-out walk to the Leadoff Guy. Cafecíto then ripped a double of the LF wall, drawing the end of Venters outing. Winkler came in to relieve him and did the same exact thing. He would give up an RBI single to Deez, his 3rd RBI of the game, ripping it through the middle to score Carp. Swags then drew a walk to load the bases, forcing Snitker to go to his bullpen again, bringing in ex-Cardinal, Sam Freeman.
Patrick Wisdom would pinch-hit for Hicks, striking out on a splitter from Freeman.
The goat, came thru with his clutch gene, as always, ripping a two-run single into LF, clearing the bases as Acuña let he ball skate behind him for an error to make it 6-1 Cardinals.
Leone then chipped in his inning of work, throwing 20 pitches, while striking out Camargo and Culberson on cutters. The cutter to Camargo was perfectly executed, right underneath the hands on the left-handed batter.
Prince Sex O’Neill and Cafecíto added a pair of RBI base hits in the 9th inning to extend the lead to 8-1, as Mayers shut the door in the 9th striking out two to secure the series victory for the Cardinals.
Jack Flaherty (8-7, 2.86) looks to complete the sweep of the Braves early tomorrow afternoon, as he takes on Touch Toussaint (1-1, 4.67).
First pitch 11:10 c/t.
Thanks for reading, cheers!
Stew
Comments