St. Louis Cardinals: Good, Bad and Ugly in Mets series

The Ugly

Tempers reached a fever pitch Wednesday afternoon’s finale of the Cards series with the Mets.

Mets pitcher Yoan Lopez was on the mound in the eighth inning with Nolan Arenado coming to bat. Lopez proceeded to throw a pitch high and in, appearing to buzz the hitter. Arenado took exception to the pitch and began chirping at Lopez, telling him to bring it on.

Arenado shoved Mets catcher Tomas Nido aside and charged the mound. With the exception of some shoving, Arenado’s frustration remained verbal.

First-base coach Stubby Clapp is observed tackling back Mets’ first baseman Pete Alonso. Clapp is essentially trying to keep Alonso from attacking other players. Alonso’s response was interesting. According to Bally Sports – Midwest, “Pete Alonso on today’s Mets-Cardinals brawl: “It just didn’t make sense. The ball wasn’t even close. It’s something that started for no reason.” On being tackled by Stubby Clapp: “If you want to hold me back, you want to restrain me, go at me like a man.”

Arenado told reporters after the game, according to Bally Sports – Midwest,  “I just didn’t like where it was at. I figured it was coming. It is what it is.”

Manager Oli Marmol’s reaction to the eighth inning shenanigans was pretty great.

Marmol’s intense anger over the fight was awesome to see. He definitely has his team’s back and won’t tolerate anyone going after his club.

The Cardinals take this high into a four-game series this weekend at Busch against the Arizona Diamondbacks.