The road trip ends with a thud
Game Result
Miles Mikolas bobs and weaves for 6 shutout innings, leaving a 1-0 nothing game for the bullpen to carry home. A blown save by King and a late 3-run homer off Fernandez seals the outcome. That last at-bat has been the toughest, so far. Cardinals lose 4-1, close out series 1-6.
Pre-game Notes
- Winn came back yesterday, Siani sent down. With Sags staying, it brings better RH/LH balance to the bench.
- Weather is kind of iffy in Atlanta today. Showers moving in shortly after game start.
- Another day game, followed by travel and day off at home. Will see who gets the 2 days off. Donovan is reported to be “sore” with a subluxed rib (ie. dislocated), so I’d suspect he will get today off and make it almost four full days between games for him.
- Off the road trip I can’t say I’ve been impressed with the Braves. They seem a shell of their former selves. The Mets seem pretty good. Great bullpen, top of the line-up is murder.
Line-up (and roster) Machinations
- Mikolas starts for the Cardinals, looking for win number 1. Elder for the Braves. A lefty.
- Contreras DHs. Burleson at 1b. Gorman at 2b. Pozo C. Normal lineup. I would have guessed Baker would get a day at first with a left on the mound.
- Matz threw 2.2 IP, so figure he is down today. Leahy pitched 1 IP yet again, so figure he is down. They are already in danger of running him into the ground and its still April.
The Game
An inning-by-inning breakdown, with score card entries and observations along the way.
T1 – Nootbar leads off with a 4-pitch walk. Up 1-0, GIDP by Contreras. Gotta wonder here … Elder hadn’t thrown a strike yet. Contreras was already up in the count and he had the platoon advantage over lefty Elder. Why be so aggressive there? To prove the point, Gorman walks on 4 pitches, too. A WP puts Gorman on second. Arenado doubles him in. The GOBs are working overtime this trip to teach Burleson that taking pitches (ie. not swinging at everything) is a bad thing. Two called strikes on balls to start his AB. Burleson gets an infield hit. Walker gets up 2-0 and swings at a pitch out of the zone. Then he lines out. Interesting inning. Elder threw 27 pitches. Cards up 1-0.
B1 – Infield hit for Harris. Single Riley. Ozuna backwards K. Olsen lines out F7. Albies out F9.
T2 – Pozo 5-3. Scott 3u. Winn F8.
B2 – Lead-off walk. Force at 2b. Gorman unable to complete the DP. Kelenic lines out F8. Allen singles for first and third, then promptly gets picked off,
T3 – Nootbar walks again. Contreras forces him. Gorman F-7. Arenado 6-3. Elder has retired 7 out of last 8.
B3 – 3-1 on a nice play by Burly. 6-3. Single. F7 ends the inning. MM at 45 pitches. Still 1-0 Cardinals.
T4 – Burly K’s. Walker out 1-3. Pozo with a two out double. Scott out 3-1.
B4 – 3u. Single. F9. K. Mikolas has a bit of momentum going.
T5 – Winn F8. Nootbar doesn’t walk! He K’s. Contreras singles, and steals second. Stranded on Gorman’s F9. Still 1-0 Cardinals.
B5 – 6-3. Single. F7. BB. Third time through the lineup hex? Olsen out 3u to end the threat.
T6 – Arenado F9. Burleson singles. Walker forces Burly. Pozo returns the favor, forcing Walker.
B6 – F9. F7. 1-3. Mikolas finishes with a flourish. 6 IP of shutout ball. 2 K. Scatters 2 BB and 6 hits. It’s a bullpen game now. Cards still up 1-0.
T7 – Johnson in for Elder. Scott F7. Winn 3u. Nootbar pops out.
B7 – King in for Mikolas. Starts with a K. Then Allen doubles. Harris drives him in with a single. King out, Leahy in (again!). He gets Riley on backwards K and Ozuna on a pop out to short. A magician! Another blown save, though. Game now tied 1-1.
T8 – Montero in for Johnson. Contreras takes the obligatory walk. This guy Montero has trouble throwing strikes. Of course, having written that, Gorman K’s. Arenado lines out to left. Burleson singles. Hernandez in for Montero, so the assignment gets tougher on the hitters. Walker K’s, ending the threat.
B8 – Romero in for Leahy. Olsen singles the other way. Albies with an infield hit. There has been a ton of those this series. Murphy PH for Baldwin. He hits a little nubber that squibbed fair and Pozo gets the out at first, advancing the runners. Romero out, Fernandez in. Eli White hits 3-run homer. That slider is not working for him. Fairchild K’s. Allen K’s. Braves now up 4-1.
T9 – Hernandez stays in. He really earned this save carving up Walker in the 8th with runners on. Pozo pops out. Scott K’s. Winn singles. Nootbar grounds out. Braves win.
Post-game Notes
- Being a curious mind, I’m wondering what the thinking is that results in two RH hitters (Sags, Baker) on the bench with an LHP on the mound.
- In a season focused on the long view, I found myself surprised they used Leahy again today. Can’t argue with the results, but where does over-use become an over-riding concern? This is 13th game (in 25 total), and his third day in a row.
- I will need to look deeper at Fernandez. He was sharp in spring when I watched him but looks like he has changed his arm angle and release point. Maybe a habit resulting from earlier injury?