I-70 Series
Dakota Hudson would get the ball for his first start of 2022, going against the left-handed Daniel Lynch. Hud worked an easy, 14 pitch, 1-2-3 inning to open things up, picking up 2 strikeouts on Merrifield and Witt Jr. on the slider.
The Cards bats were awake and ready to pounce all over Lynch in the bottom half of the 1st. After Lynch struck out Carlson and Goldy on 95mph heaters to start his night, Prince Sex would then greet him ripping a single to LF on the first offering he saw.
Arenado followed that by stroking a low and outside changeup (8th pitch of at bat) from Lynch barely over the wall in LF, sneaking into the Royals pen for his 3rd HR of the young season.
The fireworks wouldn’t stop there, as Albert followed with a first-pitch swinging solo HR over the wall in LF, his 680th career big fly. The curtain call and moment in general gave me goosebumps and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get teary eyed.
The Royals would strike right back and answer with a 3-run inning of their own to tie the game back at 3-3 in the 2nd. Perez (solo) and Taylor (2run) delivered the big HRs to even things up.
With things still even at 3-3 in the bottom of the 4th, the Cards bats would get things rolling again. Pujols and Edman opened the inning with back-to-back singles to LF, but Bader and DeJong couldn’t do anything with them, both going down on strikes to bring in Kiz.
Kiz made sure to cash in on the opportunity he had in front of him, mashing a 3run HR to LF on a slider right down the pipe from Lynch to make it a 6-3 Cardinals lead.
Hicks would relieve Hudson after 4IP, working two huge innings out of the bullpen. Hicks would throw 27 pitches in his 2 innings, picking up two strikeouts (both on disgusting sliders), and a double-play after a leadoff walk to Gallagher in the 5th.
Hicks would eventually be credited with the win on the evening he was supposed to make his first major league start, clockwork.
Pujols would end his night 3/4, as Hicks-Wittgren-Cabrera-Gio would throw the final 5IP. Wittgren and Cabrera would pick up holds and Gio would pick up his 1st save of the season.
Uncle Charlie (1-0, 0.00) takes the mound tomorrow afternoon in the series finale, meeting up with the veteran, Zack Greinke (0-0, 1.59). First pitch is scheduled for 12:15pm c/t, but plan accordingly with the forecast predicted for tomorrow afternoon.
Cheers, Stew