The resistible force (Pirates’ offense) meets the moveable object (Cardinals’ pitching)
Game Result
Mitch Keller and Eric Fedde pitched a scoreless duel, with Keller lasting into the 8th. Baserunning mistakes by both teams conspired to keep a game scoreless into the 12th before the Cardinals broke through, but the bullpen couldn’t hold serve, and Pirates broke through in the 13th against the out-manned bullpen to prevail 2-1. The proverbial pyrrhic loss.
Pre-game Notes
- The Cardinals close out the wet, cold, even snowy road trip and go for the series win.
- Today’s winner in the way-too-early-to-get-excited category is Chase Davis, who had his first multi-HR game of his pro career last night in Amarillo for AA.
- Forecast is sunny, breezy day with very cool temps (mid 40’s). Wind chills should be close to freezing. What a glorious day for baseball. Isn’t every day a grand day to play ball?
- Early game today. Starts at 9:35 AM my time. This morning, I will wake the rooster up.
Line-up (and roster) Machinations
- Fedde and Keller is the pitching matchup.
- Walker out of the lineup for a day off today. The left leaning outfield features Noot in RF, Donovan in LF, Scott in CF. With Fedde pitching, they could be busy (60:40 FB:GB ratio).
- Saggese in at second. Contreras at DH.
- Hard to predict bullpen availability today. The Angels (overtime) and Red Sox (offensive outbursts) series’ left this bullpen in tatters. It really didn’t take long, did it?
- Leahy (1.2 IP. 22 pitches) and Matz (1.1 IP, 16 pitches) were used last night and were sharp. Romero was also used (.1 IP, 9 pitches) and was not. Maton finished (.2 IP, 14 pitches). I imagine Oli would prefer to avoid using all 4 of them today on very short rest, which means circumstances will likely force him to. That likely leaves a live pen of Fernandez, King, Roycroft and Helsley as the first choices.
The Game
An inning-by-inning breakdown, with score card entries and observations along the way.
T1 – Nootbar grounds out 3-1 (101 mph). First pitch swining. Weird for him. Contreras puts a charge in one (108 mph) but tracked down at CF wall for an F8. Donovan raps a single. Arenado bounces out 5-3.
B1 – Fedde issues a lead-off walk, continuing a troubling theme from Boston. F7. F3 (foul). F8 cleans up the inning.
T2 – Burleson grounds out 6-3. Pages pops out F4. Scott singles. SB. Saggese with a backwards K to end the threat.
B2 – L6. 4-3. Pop out F6.
T3 – Winn pops out F3 (foul). They still throwing breaking stuff away and then busting him hard inside to get him out. Nootbar lines out F8. Contreras pops out to first.
B3 – A lead-off walk. Pop out F8. GIDP 5-6s-3.
T4 – Donovan grounds out 1u. Arenado grounds out 6-3. Burleson lines out F8. A six-pitch inning for Keller. The swing early and often strategy doesn’t seem to be working out so well. Keller has 39 pitches through 4 innings. We are on pace for a 90-minute game. Must be get-away day….
B4 – Yet another lead-off walk. Exhibit#1 for the challenge system. Fedde throws 8 pitches to Reynolds, 6 of them strikes and yet the batter walks. Fedde throws another GIDP 6-4-3, followed by a short F9. Scoreless after 4.
T5 – Pages K’s. Scott K’s. Saggese 5-3. Keller really cruising.
B5 – Yet another lead-off walk, this time to Hayes. F7. F7. 5-3 cleans up the inning again.
T6 – Winn out on a weak 5-3. Nootbar out 5-3. Contreras K’s. His K rate on this trip is like 50%! Wow.
B6 – Arenado a rare error. Followed by a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out DP. Another K cleans up that inning. Fedde finishes strong. No runs. No hits!
T7 – Donovan F9. on a good play by Cutch. Arenado out 5-3. Burly doubles off the wall, breaking a streak of 15 in a row set down by Keller. Pages K’s, stranding the runner. Still scoreless.
B7 – Maton in. Remember when I listed the 4 “prefer to not use guys” in pre-game? Here is the first. Cutch K’s. HBP. Another K. Single line out to 2nd cleans up this inning.
T8 – Scott K’s. Saggese singles, Winn walks. This brings an end to Keller’s shut outperformance. Ferguson in. Nootbar lines out. Then Contreras pops out right at the plate, except 3 infielders collide and the ball pops out in fair territory. Sags gets tagged out trying to navigate all the down bodies in an attempt to reach home. I believe there is no interference there because there was no contact. It is possible that they ruled the hit ball never passed the first fielder. A fielder has a right to be in the base path until the struck ball passes the first fielder. Still scoreless.
B8 – Leahy in for Maton. Another of those prefer not to use guys. K’s first batter. Followed by lineout to 2nd, then a walk. Then a K to clean up that inning.
T9 – Donovan backwards K. Santana in for Ferguson. Arenado F8. Burly F7. Another quiet inning for the O.
B9 – Fernandez in for Leahy. K. K. Single, pop out to 2nd. Fernandez looked much better today. Still scoreless. Extra innings.
T10 – Siani is placed at second to start the inning, running for Burly. Pages singles to left. In a horrible decision, Warner sends Siani to the plate even though Pham had the ball well before Siani reached 3rd. That was not good. Pages not advance on the throw, either. Scott forces him, then Baker flies out to end the extra inning scoreless.
B10 – Romero in for Fernandez. Another prefer not to use guy. Canerio is placed at second. Frazier out 4-3, advancing the runner to third. IBB here. This is the one scenario I agree with an IBB in extras. Bottom half, game tied, first base open. Pop out and routine fly to left. Ends the inning. Still scoreless.
T11 – Baker starts at second. Winn K’s. He missed on a bunt and swung out on a pitch in the dirt. Not good. Borucki in for Pirates. Nootbar grounds out. Contreras lines out.
B11 – Helsley in for Romero. Canario at 2nd. IBB, then Cutch K’s. Bart singles to Nootbar and the Pirates matched the Cardinals bonehead running and Nootbar throws the Canario out by 15 feet. He was out by so much Pages had to chase him down. Hayes grounds out to clean up that inning. Still scoreless! Unbelievably.
T12 -Borucki still in for Pirates. Contreras placed at second. A balk moves him to third. Donovan grounds out to first, no advance. IBB to Arenado. Lawrence in for Borucki. Walker PH for Siani and will be the defensive sub in the bottom of the inning. The ball will certainly find him. Will he be up to the task? RBI single for Jordan. Pages grounds out into force. Scott pops out. Cards now up 1-0. Who pitches? In case you are wondering, Helsley threw 10 pitches last inning.
B12 – Matz in for Hels. The last of the 4 prefer not to use guys. Hays placed at 2nd. A long fly to CF advances the runner to 3rd. Frazier backwards K. Pham with an RBI single to hang a blow save on Matz. I hate that guy (kidding!). IKF grounds out to preserve the tie. Now 1-1. So much for a 90-minute game. Although, we just passed the 2-hour mark as we enter the 13th inning.
T13 – Lawrence remains in. Scott placed at second. That should be fun. Baker K’s. Couldn’t lay off the 3rd sweeper he saw. Gotta work on that advancing the runner situational hitting thing. Winn K’s. IBB for Nootbar. They prefer to face Contreras. He grounds out. Still tied at 1-1.
B13 – Roycroft in for Matz. IKF placed at second. Canario walks. Roycroft missing by a lot, similar to Monday. Reynolds walks, too. Cutch short hops Winn, who gets the force at home. Missed an opportunity for the DP at third. Bart singles over the drawn in outfield. Game over. 2-1.
Post-game Notes
- One interesting managerial moment is the choice around whom to give a day game day off to … It’s cold. It’s been a difficult trip. That award goes to J. Walker, one of the youngest of the bunch.
- I’m curious about intended usage for Matz this weekend. He is targeted to start on Wednesday, Apr 16.
- Is it my imagination or does Walker look a fair bit better in RF so far this year? So far in his career, he has picked up -1 OAA about every 75 innings (history of 1,376 innings). So far this year, in 85 innings, 0 OAA and +1 DRS. His catch success rate is 94% this year, historically it’s been low- to mid- 80’s. I suppose this gets second place in the way-too-early-to-get-excited category.
- Back to St. Louis for an off-day, then a Friday matchup with the Phillies and perhaps more spring-like weather.