You would be forgiven if you felt a bit of Deja vu watching Saturday night’s St. Louis Cardinals game as it felt a lot like Friday night’s game as the Washington Nationals jumped out to another quick lead early against Michael McGreevy. It would become a much different game at the end, though. Late in the game the Nationals would do everything they could to help St. Louis including numerous errors and base physics would even come to the Cardinals rescue, but only until the game would slip away in extras.
By the time McGreevy had the first out in the top of the 1st inning, the Washington Nationals would already be leading 2-0. James Wood led off with a single followed by a Dylan Lile who lifted an 88 mph Michael McGreevy cutter and deposited it into the plants just above the center field wall for a 2-run homer. To add injury to insult, Nathan Church slammed into the centerfield wall in the process and took a few minutes to get up and be checked out by manager Oli Marmol and the trainer to make sure he could stay in the game. McGreevy would throw 34 pitches before the top of the 1st mercifully ended with the Nationals only scoring 2 runs as they threatened to score more stranding runners on first and third.
While we’re on the topic of stranding runners, let’s talk about the St. Louis Cardinals bottom of the 1st. It looked like there might be hope of an immediate bounce-back from that top of the 1st when Ivan Herrera drilled a one-out single to left. After Jordan Walker struck out, the Washington Nationals did everything they could to help the Cardinals create a rally as their shortstop Nasim Nuñez sailed a throw into (or it might have been over) the St. Louis Cardinals dugout when Leo Bernal grounded to short. Nationals pitcher also was charitable as he walked Thomas Saggese to load the bases, but Masyn Winn struck out further elevating the Cardinals RISP numbers.
As Michael McGreevy’s pitch count climbed into the high 80’s, he was taken out of the game after 4 innings. Justin Bruihl took over in the top of the 5th and had no issues shutting the Nationals down 1-2-3 with some help from Masyn Winn.
Bruihl would continue until 1-out in the top of the 6th when he left the game with one runner on base as Luis Gastelum was brought in. He would end up running into trouble as Chaparro reaching on an infield single. After Ruiz grounded into a fielder’s choice, Nuñez would also reach on an infield single scoring Vivas and giving the Nationals a 3-0 lead. Brycen Mautz was brought in to get the Cardinals out of that jam and he would also pitch his way out of a two-on potential Nationals rally in the top of the 7th escaping with no runs allowed.
That would prove important as the Cardinals would be given more gifts by Washington in the bottom of the 7th inning. Masyn Winn would reach on a throwing error by third baseman Vivas to leadoff the inning. After Nathan Church grounded out advancing Winn to second, Pedro Pages reached on an infield dribbler that the Nationals reliever Lovelady sailed over the first baseman’s head into right field scoring Winn and giving the Cardinals their first run making it 3-1 Washington. After Victor Scott II struck out, Jose Fermin came through with a clutch two-out single scoring Pedro and reducing the Washington lead to just 1 at 3-2 after 7 innings.
Brycen Mautz would pitch into the top of the 8th inning that would also include Ryne Stanek who would get the final two outs of the inning. After the Cardinals could not mount any kind of rally in the bottom of the 8th inning, George Soriano came in to keep the game close in the top of the 9th inning and he was successful.
For St. Louis to rally in the bottom of the 9th, it would depend on the bottom of the Cardinals lineup getting something started. Church, Pages and Scott II were the scheduled batters. The Nationals brought in Erik Tolman to try and lock down a Washington win. An inanimate object would smile upon the Cardinals fate in the bottom of the 9th when a ball hit up the middle by Nathan Church would careen off of second base into short left field allowing Church to reach scoring position at second to leadoff the inning. Pages was apparently given bunting orders at least for the first two strikes. Fortunately, after two unsuccessful attempts, Pedro snuck a single into left field which tied the game at 3-3.
JJ Wetherholt was brought in as the pinch-runner representing the potential winning run at first base. Manager Oli Marmol then sent up Alec Burleson to pinch-hit for Victor Scott II. Alex unfortunately struck out for the first out. That brought up Jose Fermin who managed to poke a single through the hole between second base and first moving Wetherholt up to scoring position at first. The Nationals decided to remove Tolman from the game bringing in RHP Cruz to face Herrera, but on the third pitch he nailed Ivan with a 100 mph fastball which loaded the bases for the very overdue Jordan Walker. All Jordan needed was a sacrifice fly to win the game for St. Louis. Unfortunately, he struck out even after the Nationals dropped a popup trying to gift the Cardinals another opportunity. All Leo Bernal could manage with the bases loaded and two out was a groundout to second to send the game into extras.
Riley O’Brien was the Cardinals pitcher for the top of the 10th inning as Tena was the Nationals “free” runner at second base to start extra innings. Riley got Abrams to fly out to start the 10th without advancing the runner and then he struck out Crews for the second out. However, Vivas smacked a single through the hole at short which scored Tena and giving the Nationals a 4-3 lead. The throw from Fermin in left did not come to second base which allowed Vivas to move up to second into scoring position. Riley O’Brien was able to overcome that by striking out Morales to end the Washington 10th.
Washington brought in Riley Cornelio for the bottom of the 10th. Leo Bernal was the Cardinals “free” runner at second. Thomas Saggese was first up with the goal of at least moving Bernal up to third. He managed that with a infield groundout that went over the pitcher and was handled by their third baseman. Masyn Winn tied the game with a single down the right field line, but he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Nathan Church was the Cardinals last hope to keep this game from going into an 11th inning. That hope was squashed as he lined out softly to short. 4-4 tie game as the Cardinals and Nationals dug deeper into the bullpens.
Gordon Graceffo was given the top of the 11th inning responsibilities. Morales was the free runner at second for Washinton. Ruiz led off the inning with a single to left which moved Morales to third with no outs. Nasim Nuñez was next up for Washington. He was walked by Graceffo which loaded the bases with no outs with the top of the Nationals order coming up. With Jacob Young at the plate, the Nationals would challenge a 2-2 strike call alleging catcher’s interference and replay would prove that true giving Young first base and Washington a 5-4 lead still with no outs. Graceffo would give the Cardinals hope as he struck out Lile for the first out. However, that hope would be short-lived as Tena would slap a single into left-center giving Washington a 7-4 lead. The Cardinals chose to walk Abrams intentionally to load the bases which brought up Dylan Crews. He lined a ball into the right-centerfield gap which looked like it would go to the wall, but Jordan Walker made a remarkable catch as it resulted in just a sacrifice fly scoring another run making it 8-4 Nationals, but it could have been a lot more.
The Cardinals bottom of the 11th would start with Nathan Church as the free runner at second base and JJ Wetherholt leading off. He smoked a single up the middle easily scoring Church and making it 8-5. Alec Burleson was next up for St. Louis. He hit a single up the middle in almost the exact same spot as JJ giving the Cardinals the tying run up to the plate in Jose Fermin with no outs. Cornelio ended up walking him to load the bases bringing up the potential winning run at the plate. Ivan Herrera unfortunately struck out for the first out. Jordan Walker was next. Could he make the tarps off crowd in right field go out of their minds with a moonshot? Well, that would have made a great moment, but it didn’t happen as Jordan struck out on yet another sweeper. Leo Bernal was the Cardinals final hope as the Nationals brought in RHP Will Dion to turn the switch-hitting Bernal around batting from the right side. Bernal popped out to right to end the game which turned out to be interesting at least.
The St. Louis Cardinals will wrap up their final homestand of the season Sunday as Quinn Mathews gets the start for the Cardinals while the Washington Nationals will assign starting duties to RHP Jake Irvin. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
