Wainwright continues dominance of Rockies in Cardinals' win
The Sports Xchange
May 28, 2017
DENVER -- The St. Louis Cardinals have a take-it-to-the-bank certainty about the outcome when Adam Wainwright starts against the Colorado Rockies.
It has been a very one-sided matchup through the years and was so again Saturday night when Wainwright muzzled the Rockies in St. Louis' 3-0 victory before a sell-out crowd of 48,106.
Wainwright gave up three singles in seven innings, allowed two batters to reach second base and retired the final 10 batters he faced in a 109-pitch outing that included one walk and six strikeouts.
Wainwright (5-3) has won his past eight starts against the Rockies. In 15 career games (10 starts) against them, Wainwright is 10-1 with a 1.56 ERA. And while Coors Field can be cruel on pitchers, it doesn't faze Wainwright. In six games (four starts) there, he is 4-0 with a 2.21 ERA.
Yadier Molina singled home a run in the third, and Tommy Pham, who had three hits, belted a two-run homer in the fifth as the Cardinals evened the three-game series in which the teams have traded shutouts. The Rockies won 10-0 on Friday.
Once Wainwright left, the Rockies mounted a serious threat against Trevor Rosenthal. He walked pinch hitter Tony Wolters to open the eighth. Pinch hitter Gerardo Parra was safe when first baseman Jedd Gyorko tried to backhand a slow grounder but muffed it. Parra reached base with a head-first slide ahead of Gyorko's toss, which Rosenthal dropped.
He struck out Charlie Blackmon on an 85.7 mph changeup, in sharp contrast to the 99.8 mph fastball Rosenthal threw on the preceding pitch. He struck out DJ LeMahieu on a 99.8 mph fastball but walked Nolan Arenado on nine pitches to load the bases for Carlos Gonzalez, who grounded to second.
Mark Reynolds grounded a single up the middle to open the ninth against closer Seung Hwan Oh. But Hwan Oh struck out Ian Desmond and Trevor Story and got Wolters to foul out to earn his 11th save in 13 opportunities.
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (5-3) gave up eight hits and three runs in six innings. It was the seventh time in 10 career starts he has pitched at least six innings and his seventh quality start.
Pham's two-run homer gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead in the fifth. He drove Freeland's first-pitch slider into the left-field stands for his fourth homer.
Molina produced a run-scoring single in the third inning, lining the ball through the area vacated by second baseman LeMahieu as Pham broke for second. The hit extended Molina's hitting streak to a career-high tying 16 games.
But Freeman avoided further damage by getting Gyroko to ground into a double play.
NOTES: Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong (left elbow stiffness) was scratched from the lineup. ... Cardinals RHP John Brebbia had his contract selected from Triple-A Memphis, and RHP Miguel Socolovich was designated for assignment. ... Cardinals INF Jedd Gyorko made his ninth career start and first this season at first base. ... Cardinals OF Stephen Piscotty was not at the ballpark for the second straight game but no roster move was made. Manager Mike Matheny said Friday that Piscotty was sent home to deal with a personal matter. ... Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela, 22, who is 7-1 in 10 career starts, is one six pitchers to debut since 1968 with at least seven wins and one or fewer losses in their first 10 major league starts before the age of 23. ... Rockies rookie starters are 11-2 this month, the most wins by rookie starting pitchers since Oakland rookies went 11-5 in September 2009.
May 28, 2017
DENVER -- The St. Louis Cardinals have a take-it-to-the-bank certainty about the outcome when Adam Wainwright starts against the Colorado Rockies.
It has been a very one-sided matchup through the years and was so again Saturday night when Wainwright muzzled the Rockies in St. Louis' 3-0 victory before a sell-out crowd of 48,106.
Wainwright gave up three singles in seven innings, allowed two batters to reach second base and retired the final 10 batters he faced in a 109-pitch outing that included one walk and six strikeouts.
Wainwright (5-3) has won his past eight starts against the Rockies. In 15 career games (10 starts) against them, Wainwright is 10-1 with a 1.56 ERA. And while Coors Field can be cruel on pitchers, it doesn't faze Wainwright. In six games (four starts) there, he is 4-0 with a 2.21 ERA.
Yadier Molina singled home a run in the third, and Tommy Pham, who had three hits, belted a two-run homer in the fifth as the Cardinals evened the three-game series in which the teams have traded shutouts. The Rockies won 10-0 on Friday.
Once Wainwright left, the Rockies mounted a serious threat against Trevor Rosenthal. He walked pinch hitter Tony Wolters to open the eighth. Pinch hitter Gerardo Parra was safe when first baseman Jedd Gyorko tried to backhand a slow grounder but muffed it. Parra reached base with a head-first slide ahead of Gyorko's toss, which Rosenthal dropped.
He struck out Charlie Blackmon on an 85.7 mph changeup, in sharp contrast to the 99.8 mph fastball Rosenthal threw on the preceding pitch. He struck out DJ LeMahieu on a 99.8 mph fastball but walked Nolan Arenado on nine pitches to load the bases for Carlos Gonzalez, who grounded to second.
Mark Reynolds grounded a single up the middle to open the ninth against closer Seung Hwan Oh. But Hwan Oh struck out Ian Desmond and Trevor Story and got Wolters to foul out to earn his 11th save in 13 opportunities.
Rockies starter Kyle Freeland (5-3) gave up eight hits and three runs in six innings. It was the seventh time in 10 career starts he has pitched at least six innings and his seventh quality start.
Pham's two-run homer gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead in the fifth. He drove Freeland's first-pitch slider into the left-field stands for his fourth homer.
Molina produced a run-scoring single in the third inning, lining the ball through the area vacated by second baseman LeMahieu as Pham broke for second. The hit extended Molina's hitting streak to a career-high tying 16 games.
But Freeman avoided further damage by getting Gyroko to ground into a double play.
NOTES: Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong (left elbow stiffness) was scratched from the lineup. ... Cardinals RHP John Brebbia had his contract selected from Triple-A Memphis, and RHP Miguel Socolovich was designated for assignment. ... Cardinals INF Jedd Gyorko made his ninth career start and first this season at first base. ... Cardinals OF Stephen Piscotty was not at the ballpark for the second straight game but no roster move was made. Manager Mike Matheny said Friday that Piscotty was sent home to deal with a personal matter. ... Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela, 22, who is 7-1 in 10 career starts, is one six pitchers to debut since 1968 with at least seven wins and one or fewer losses in their first 10 major league starts before the age of 23. ... Rockies rookie starters are 11-2 this month, the most wins by rookie starting pitchers since Oakland rookies went 11-5 in September 2009.
