INSIDE PITCH
The
euphoria over the Cardinals' stirring rally in the ninth inning to beat
Milwaukee on
Monday night effectively was erased Tuesday when they had a total of four
runners in scoring position in the seventh and ninth innings and failed to score
any of them in a 3-2 loss to the Brewers.
David Freese doubled for his third hit
to open the ninth against newly ordained Milwaukee closer Francisco Rodriguez. Freese,
who does not run well, was stopped at third by coach Jose Oquendo on Yadier Molina's single to center.
Freese, not getting any jump, stayed
at third -- probably correctly -- as Matt Carpenter grounded to Brewers
shortstop Cesar Izturis, Molina moving to second. But then pinch hitter Skip Schumaker struck out on a half-swing and pinch hitter Daniel Descalso popped
up.
Rookie Joe Kelly's fifth consecutive
quality start was wasted, and the Cardinals' one-run record dropped to 11-16.
The Cardinals were just 2 for 10 with men in scoring position after missing the
ninth-inning chance and also one in the seventh when again the first two batters
hit safely.
"We've said that a lot," said manager
Mike Matheny. "We keep putting together a good offense, but we have trouble
getting the big hit.
"We were right where we wanted to be.
You don't get those very often and you've got to come through."
In the seventh, Matheny went against
one of his pre-game decisions. He hadn't played switch-hitting first baseman
Lance Berkman against Milwaukee left-hander Randy Wolf because
Berkman was 3 for 32 (.094) against Wolf.
Freese and Carpenter opened the
seventh with singles, and Matheny asked right-handed-hitting second baseman
Tyler Greene to bunt even though Greene had hit a couple of balls very hard, but
foul, off Wolf in earlier hitless at-bats.
Greene did sacrifice and Matheny,
saying later, "It was an easy decision," to pinch-hit Berkman, watched as
Berkman was called out by home-plate umpire Brian Gorman as he tried to check
his swing on a full-count pitch. Berkman thought that he didn't swing at this
pitch and that he should have walked on a 3-1 pitch that was called a
strike.
Shortstop Rafael Furcal, after an
11-pitch at-bat, then fouled out. After the inning was over, Berkman looked at
the replay in the clubhouse and then commenced an argument with Gorman and was
tossed from the game.
"My biggest beef is he can't make that
call," said Berkman of the checked-swing strike-three decision by Gorman, who
didn't ask for help at first base. "He was having a hard time getting the strike
zone right, much less seeing whether anybody swung the bat or not. Just appeal.
It's not tough to ask. You don't have to make that call.
"I felt like he missed that one. I
felt like he missed the 3-1 pitch. It was just a tough night for
him."
It also was a tough night for the
Cardinals' defense, which did not turn two double plays it should have in the
first three innings. The Brewers capitalized by scoring two-out runs in each
inning with singles although right-hander Joe Kelly also contributed to one of
the runs with a wild pickoff throw.
NOTES,
QUOTES
LF Matt Holliday, riding
a 15-game hitting streak, was hit just above the left knee by a pitch from
Milwaukee LHP Randy Wolf in the first inning and had to come out of the game an
inning later. Holliday was said to have a left thigh contusion, and manager Mike
Matheny said Holliday felt better after getting treatment. But it seems unlikely
Holliday would play in Wednesday afternoon's series finale, with an off day
scheduled for Thursday.
1B Lance Berkman sat out
the start, having gone 3 for 32 (.094) against Milwaukee left-hander Randy Wolf, who then
struck Berkman out on a controversial call in the seventh inning when Berkman
pinch hit. "I do have three hits against him even though it's taken me 32
at-bats. But all you need there is a flyball," said Berkman, who fanned with
runners at second and third and one out.
RHP Joe Kelly worked six
innings in his fifth consecutive quality start. Manager Mike Matheny thought
Kelly's stuff was as good as it's been all season. Kelly did allow a 462-foot
homer to 2B Rickie Weeks. "It was a fastball right down the middle," said Kelly.
"I probably would have hit out myself. It's the easiest pitch in baseball to
hit."
CF Jon Jay, whose average
has dipped under .300 in a recent slump, was sitting out his second straight
start but then had to come in for OF Matt Holliday after the latter was hit by a
pitch. Jay doubled in one of the Cardinals' two runs. "I'm in a little bit of a
rut right now," said Jay.
2B Tyler Greene got a
rare start and went nothing for two with a sacrifice although he hit two balls
hard, but just foul, off Milwaukee LHP Randy Wolf.
By the
Numbers:
8 for 45 - Cardinals'
mark with runners in scoring position in their five games since the All-Star
break.
Quote to Note:
"We've played lousy. We
haven't been hitting well. We should have won this game tonight. They didn't
beat us. We beat ourselves."
- 1B Lance Berkman on
another one-run loss by the Cardinals, who have dropped four of their five games
since the All-Star break.
MEDICAL
WATCH
LF Matt Holliday (bruised
left thigh) was hit by a pitch July 17 and left the game an inning later. He was
said to be feeling better after treatment but probably will miss a game or
two.
LHP Jaime Garcia (left
shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 6, and he
was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 16. 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: Milwaukee 3, St. Louis 2