INSIDE PITCH
A
dribbler that went about 75 feet became the difference Friday night as the
Cardinals lost a lead in the seventh inning and fell 5-3 to the Reds, putting
them 2 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh and Cincinnati in the NL Central standings.
An inefficient offense that stranded
11 runners probably should have put up more than two runs through the top of the
seventh.
Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright, who had given up just two hits, was holding a 2-1 lead when the Reds
got back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the seventh. Ryan Ludwick
sacrificed, and Cardinals manager Mike Matheny ordered an intentional walk to
the Cincinnati's No. 7 hitter, Todd Frazier, who
had homered earlier.
With the bases loaded, Reds catcher
Ryan Hanigan hit a roller to the right of the mound. First baseman Allen Craig
charged the ball, saw he had no play at the plate and then shoveled underhanded
toward Wainwright, who might have been slow off the mound but was trying to get
to first in time. The throw was behind Wainwright, who then got his spikes
tangled up with Hanigan's shoe as Wainwright crossed the bag and then got
knocked to the ground.
Two runs scored on the play, and with
the other runners moving up, a sacrifice fly made it a three-run
inning.
"It's shame that a hit like that ends
up costing us," Matheny said. "I thought (Wainwright) was great until we got to
the seventh.
"He had everybody off balance and then
couple of two-strike hits hurt him. We just couldn't stop the bleeding in the
seventh."
Wainwright said, "The only pitch I
want back in the inning was the one to Jay Bruce."
Bruce got the second single of the
inning.
"I didn't make many mistakes tonight,"
said Wainwright, who also wasn't too delighted that Hanigan's ball was called a
hit.
"That's not a hit. Give me a break,"
Wainwright said.
NOTES,
QUOTES
1B Lance Berkman, out
since late May after right knee surgery, may come off the 15-day disabled list
in the next day or so. Berkman worked out before the game Friday and said he
felt good. With the Cardinals deep at both first base and in the outfield,
Berkman, who has appeared in just 13 games this season, may not play every day
anyway. "I may have to play in whatever capacity they think is the best," he
said.
RHP Kyle McClellan will
miss the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery Tuesday.
McClellan, on the disabled list since May with a right elbow strain, required
surgery after he tore the labrum in his right shoulder during a throwing
session. He was 0-1 with a 5.30 ERA in 16 relief appearances in 2012. A starter
to begin the 2011 season, McClellan made 43 appearances (17 starts) last year,
going 12-7 with a 4.19 ERA.
General manager John
Mozeliak has make contact with the agent for LHP Brian Fuentes, released by
Oakland. The
Cardinals have been short on left-handed bullpen help for much of the season,
although rookie LHP Barret Browning retired the first 14 men he faced before he
gave up a single to Reds 2B Brandon Phillips, who later scored in the eighth
inning Friday.
RHP Adam Wainwright
suffered his ninth loss in 16 decisions, although he pitched quite well into the
seventh inning. He had held Cincinnati to two hits, including an
opposite-field home run by 3B Todd Frazier, through six innings. "That home run
was a Great
American Ball Park home run," said Wainwright. "You make
your pitch down and away, and a guy one-hands it 10 rows out to right field.
I've had some tough losses this year. I had good enough stuff to win tonight. It
just didn't happen."
LF Matt Holliday, in a
38-for-83 (.458) run, extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a
ninth-inning single. However, the at-bat he would like to have back is the
seventh-inning strikeout he had with the bases loaded and the Cardinals trying
to add to a 2-1 lead.
1B Allen Craig, besides
committing a key error in the seventh inning, also popped up with a man at third
and one out in the third. He was 0-for-5 on the night as the Cardinals stranded
11 runners.
OF Shane Robinson, who
might be vulnerable if 1B Lance Berkman is activated Saturday, delivered a
run-scoring single in the eighth inning Friday. Robinson would be a tough loss,
having been the club's best right-handed pinch hitter this
season.
3B David Freese, who
missed a start in the last game before the break due to a left leg bruise, was
back in the lineup Friday. He went 0-for-2 with two walks.
C Yadier Molina was
activated from the bereavement list Friday, and he went 2-for-4. He had been out
for a week.
C Bryan Anderson was
optioned back to Class AAA Memphis during the All-Star break in anticipation of
C Yadier Molina's return from the bereavement list. In 15 games for St. Louis this season, Anderson has hit .281/.314/344 with no homers
and four RBI.
By the
Numbers:
1 - Baserunners allowed
by LHP Barret Browning, who has faced 16 hitters since coming up from Class AAA
Memphis.
Quote to Note:
"It's one of those
head-scratchers. You just don't know what happened."
- RHP Adam Wainwright, on
suffering a 5-3 loss to Cincinnati by allowing three scratch runs in
the seventh inning.
MEDICAL
WATCH
3B David Freese (bruised
left leg) was hurt July 7. He appeared as a pinch hitter July 8. He was back in
the lineup July 13 after the All-Star break.
1B Lance Berkman (torn
meniscus in right knee) went on the 15-day disabled list May 20. He had
arthroscopic surgery May 25, and no ACL damage was found. He took batting
practice July 2, and he could be activated during the weekend of July
13-15.
LHP Jaime Garcia (left
shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 6. After
further examination, it was determined that he has tearing in his rotator cuff.
He threw 40 pitches from 60 feet on flat ground for the first time in a month
July 4. He is out until at least mid-August.
RHP Kyle McClellan (torn
labrum in right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list May 18 due to a
strained right elbow, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 30. He
threw on flat ground for the first time July 3, but he subsequently felt
shoulder pain. He had season-ending shoulder surgery July
10.
RHP Chris Carpenter (weak
right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26, and he
was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 10. He threw for the first time since
March on June 13 and then threw another 40 pitches on June 15. He threw to
hitters for the first time June 22 but then had a setback June 25 when he felt
renewed weakness in the shoulder. He said it felt better the next day, and he
had an extensive throwing session off flat ground June 27. On June 28, he was
told he has thoracic outlet syndrome, which can cause, among its effects,
weakness in one's shoulder. A July 2 bullpen session was canceled. On July 3,
the Cardinals announced that Carpenter would undergo season-ending surgery July
19 to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome.
Link to boxscore: Cincinnati 5, St. Louis 3