6 Thoughts on this Redbird Rundown from Game #5
- The Cardinals got back in the win column with a 10-4 win Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals received solid starting pitching again, this time from the last starter to take his turn, Michael Wacha. Wacha went 6 innings allowing just 3 hits and 1 run. He walked one and struck out 6. He becomes the first Cardinal starter to earn a win this season after Oh picked up the win following Carlos Martinez dazzling start on opening night. Wacha has typically started the season well and faltered as his inning count goes up. Hopefully a stronger/healthier Wacha is able to get through the season pitching like he’s capable. Wacha, the Cardinals 5th starter, is not your typical 5th starter and could really go a long way in making the starting rotation deep.
- Aledmys Diaz decided to put the offense on his back today. After a first inning home run that gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead, He hit a two out 3 run home run in the 4th inning to extend the Cardinals lead to 6-1. Diaz ended up adding a single to finish 3 for 5 with 4 RBI. Aledmys was having a great rookie season last year until a Andrew Cashner pitch broke his thumb and knocked him out for 37 games. Diaz hit just .216 after coming back from his injury so it was great to see him have the type of game he had today.
- Aledmys wouldn’t have had the chance to hit his second home run of the day without Michael Wacha and Dexter Fowler extending the inning to him with 2 outs. Wacha had a RBI single up the middle to extend the Cardinals lead back to 2 runs. Dexter Fowler then earned a walk to bring up Diaz with 2 on and 2 out. This Cardinal team is going to need all hitters contributing to keep teams honest.
- The Cardinals received 12 walks and left 12 men on base. If the Cardinals would have cashed in on a few more opportunities they could have scored 12-15 runs (I’m not complaining about them scoring 10 runs with the last few games but it could have been so much more) .
- I loved how Matheny pulled Wacha after just 83 pitches and 6 innings. No seriously, I did. If it was a close game he could have went with Wacha in the seventh – but in a laugher, it’s 100% the correct decision to get a guy like Wacha out of the game to save his bullets. Bowman, Broxton, & Tuivailala ended up pitching the remainder of the innings with Broxton & Tui giving up home runs. Tuivailala shouldn’t be in the Cardinals bullpen much longer with Trevor Rosenthal eyeing a comeback soon.
- Congratulations go out to Matt Holliday who picked up his 2000th career hit. He is one of 3 active sluggers with a slugging percentage above. 500 and having 2000 hits joining Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera. Congrats Matt!
Tomorrow will match Scott Feldman 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA vs Carlos Martinez 0-0 with an ERA of 0.00. Martinez looks to duplicate his superb Opening Day start against the Cubs when he went 7 ⅓ innings scattering 6 hits and striking out 10. Feldman gave up 3 runs before he could get his 5th out in his Opening Day start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Reds #s vs Carlos Martinez
Zack Cozart is 5 for 17 .294 with a home run
Scooter Gennett is hitting .304 with 3 doubles a home run and 5 RBI in 23 AB
Joey Votto is just 2 for 12 with a home run and 6 BB
Cardinals #s vs Feldman
Jhonny Peralta has the biggest sample size with 15 AB batting .267 with a home run
Jedd Gyorko is 1 for 3 with a home run
Yadier Molina is 1 for 1 with a double
Matt Carpenter & Matt Adams are both 1 for 3 with a double
It will be interesting to see if Stephen Piscotty is back in the lineup. He missed the game with a sore knee. The Cardinals will take every weapon they can get in their lineup for the rubber game of the series tomorrow.
