Wacha Silences Mets Bats, Wong Stays Hot, Gyorko Hits Milestone HR, Cards Win 9-1
Michael Wacha was the storyline of the night, picking up a quality start in a big 9-1 win.
Wacha would toe the rubber tonight and deliver an excellent start. The right-hander would last 6 innings, throwing 98 pitches (64 strikes), allowing one run, walking one and striking out eight. Wacha’s first inning of work let you know that he meant business, the fastball was lively and jumping on hitters quickly. Wacha would set the first two batters (Conforto & Céspedes) of the game down on strikes before getting Bruce to groundout to first. Wacha would do the same his second inning of work. After allowing a leadoff single to Mets third basemen, Todd Frazier, Wacha would get the next three. Striking out the final two (González & Lobaton) to end the inning.
Wacha would have his only stressful inning come in the top of the 3rd. Wacha would give up a leadoff single to his opposition, Steven Matz, on a line drive to CF. Matz would be retired on a Conforto fielder’s choice, 4-6. Céspedes and Bruce would follow with back-to-back singles, Bruce’s driving in Conforto, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. Wacha then walked Frazier to load the bases. Flores would come up and line a ball to DeJong at SS, with DeJong ranging up the middle to make a good play on the force out.
The Cardinals offense wouldn’t produce a hit or a base runner until the bottom of the 3rd. Steven Matz would unravel. Gyorko would lead the inning off smacking a ball that looked to be a base hit up the middle, only to find the glove of the shifted second baseman, Wilmer Flores. However, the next three batters would reach base for the Cardinals. Kolten Wong would continue his hot homestand, dribbling an infield single to crack the Cardinals into the hit column. That’s all the offense needed to get going, a tiny spark plug.
Wacha would attempt to sac-bunt Wong over to second, and succeed. Matz would come off the mound to field the bunt and throw it carelessly past González for an error, advancing Wong to third base. Harrison Bader, newly entered for an injured Pham (self inflicted head laceration), would walk to load the bases. Dexter Fowler then drove in his 10th RBI of the season connecting on a sac fly to RF, scoring Wong. Cafecíto would keep the line moving, stroking a single to RF, once again, loading the bases. Swags Ozuna would come up with the perfect opportunity to break out of his (1-24) slump, where his one hit is an infield single. Ozuna smacked an RBI single between 3B and SS to drive in two, his 12th & 13th RBI of 2018.
Michael Wacha would be in complete shutdown mode from this point forward, throwing his final three innings, giving up one hit and striking out four. His best inning came in the 5th. Following a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th, Wacha was primed for the same in the 5th. Wacha would strike out the side, stranding Conforto on first after a one-out single.
Kolten Wong would keep adding to his defensive highlight reel in the 6th inning, robbing Wilmer Flores of a base hit on a smooth backhand play. Honestly, this guy is on a whole other planet with his glove. The bats would score six more runs in the 4th & 5th, securing a comfortable cushion for the Cardinals to finish the game. The Cardinals would score four runs in the 4th, getting started with a DeJong double to LF. Wong would come up and get his second infield single of the game, missing the barehand of Flores at second.
Michael Wacha then helped himself out, driving in a run on a sacrifice-error by catcher, Lobaton. After Bader was HBP to load the bases, Fowler would bring in Wong with a walk.
The Mets would go to their pen with Matz struggling and turn the ball over to Corey Oswalt. Oswalt would get the final two outs of the inning, but not before Cafecíto would ground into an RBI fielder’s choice, giving the Cardinals a 7-1 lead.
The Cardinals would add on two more runs in the 5th inning, coming courtesy of Jedd “Trap House” Gyorko. After a DeJong leadoff single to LF, Gyorko would deliver, uncorking his 100th career HR to the Mets bullpen for a 9-1 Cardinals lead.
John Brebbia would get the last three innings of the game, earning his first career save. After giving up two singles (Lobaton & Rosario) in his first inning of work, Brebbia would induce a huge 4-6-3 double-play on Conforto. Brebbia collected two strikeouts (Nimmo & Frazier) in the 8th inning after Lagares reached on an error from first baseman, Yadier Molina. Yes, that’s not a typo. Blowout games will bring out some weird sights. Brebbia would shut the door, earning his first big league save, striking out pinch-hitter Tomás Nido. This secured a 9-1 win for the Cardinals, as they look to win the series tomorrow afternoon.
Carlos Martínez (2-1, 1.42) will meet up with Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 3.29) for an Opening Day rematch. So if you aren’t off work, take off, or call in sick. You won’t want to miss this action. First pitch 12:15 c/t.
Thanks for reading, cheers!
Stew // @StewStilez
