The Cardinals started a four-game weekend series in the Bay vs the Giants tonight, and I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t one of my favorite series of the season every year.
Mikolas would get the nod, matching up with a bullpen game on the SF side of things. Mikolas would keep his strong start to 2022 rolling, getting some sweet help from his LF to end his 1st inning of work, as Prince would deliver a dart to Edman at 2B to throw out Flores trying to extend a single to a double.
The Giants would use nine pitchers this evening, as the opener, Llovera, worked just the 1st inning. Littell would relieve him for the next two innings, but Yadi would jump all over him to leadoff the 3rd, belting his 1st HR of the season to LF for the early 1-0 lead.
The Cards would add a couple more runs in the 5th, as Yadi and Carlson led things off with back-to-back singles. After a DeJong groundout, Edman would rope a two-run single into CF off the LHP, Álvarez, to score Yadi and Carl Bean to open the lead to 3-0.
Arenado and DeJong would provide some top notch defense in the bottom half of the inning. Nado making a tough play on an off balance throw to Edman at 2B for a force out on Estrada, and DeJong leaping into the heavens to rob Casali of an rbi opportunity.
A big 4-run 7th inning from the Cardinals would officially be the dagger for the Giants, as nine Cardinals would come to the dish vs McGee & Rogers. Carlson would get things going with a double to LCF, almost sneaking over the wall for his 1st dinger of the season, instead getting an easy double. After a DeJong strikeout, Edman would continue his domination vs LHP, ripping an rbi 1B into CF to plate Carlson to open the lead more. Goldy (single) and Nado (BB) would load the bases for Prince, who lined a two-run 1B into CF to bring in Edman and Goldy. Yepez would then add his 1st career big league rbi next, beating the shift and going the other way on Rogers to score Nado to make it 7-1 Cards.
Pallante, Wittgren, Whitley tossed the final 3.1IP scoreless from the Cards pen to secure the 7-1 victory to move to (15-10) on the season.
Jordan Hicks (1-2, 3.65) gets the nod tomorrow night vs the veteran, Alex Cobb (1-1, 5.40). First pitch from the Bay is scheduled for 9:15pm c/t.
Cheers, Stew