3 good moments in Cardinals series loss to the Phillies

St. Louis Cardinals fans expecting fireworks against the Philadelphia Phillies were met with a dud.

The St. Louis Cardinals took one of three in their three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cardinals lost Friday 5-3. The Cardinals won Saturday 7-6. And on Sunday night baseball, the Cardinals lost 4-0.

The Cardinals were sluggish. It was obvious the jolt provided by the call-ups from AAA Memphis is diminishing. The Cardinals need to have their regulars in healthy versions of Jack Flaherty, Tyler O’Neill, Harrison Bader, Yadier Molina, and Paul DeJong.

It’s provided help but the Cardinals need their players back as soon as possible. If the players can not return then trades will have to be made. The current version of this team doesn’t seem built for a huge, championship run.

On Friday, Paul Goldschmidt was 2-for-4 with two runs. Nolan Arenado was 4-for-4 with one run and three RBI. The team was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position with six runners left on base.

Miles Mikolas earned his sixth loss of the season. He threw 5.1 innings, giving up six hits, four runs, two walks, and two earned runs including a home run to Darick Hall. He did strike out one batter. Zack Thompson pitched an inning, giving up one walk. Johan Oviedo threw two-thirds of an inning, giving up a hit, a strike out, and one home run to Rhys Hoskins. He did induce four swings and misses. Packy Naughton pitched one inning, giving up a walk but striking out one.

On Saturday, the Cardinals were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position while they left nine runners on base. Ivan Herrera and Brendan Donovan were each 0-for-4. Lars Nootbaar was 0-for-2.

Matthew Liberatore threw 2.2 innings, giving up seven hits, a walk, and five earned runs. He did strike out two and induced seven swings and misses. Zack Thompson threw two-thirds of an inning, giving up a hit. Packy Naughton pitched one-third of an inning, giving up one hit, a walk, and one earned run while striking out one. Junior Fernandez got a blown save in 1.2 innings of work. He gave up a hit, a walk, and struck out one.

Jordan Hicks and Ryan Helsley’s portion of the outing will be discussed below.

On Sunday, the Cardinals were absolutely shut out by the Phillies. Adam Wainwright got his sixth loss of the season. He pitched 5.2 innings, giving up eight hits, one walk, and four earned runs, including home runs to Hoskins and J.T. Realmuto. He did strike out five batters while inducing nine swings and misses.

Packy Naughton pitched an inning. James Naile pitched 1.1 innings, giving up a hit and striking two batters, and inducing three swings and misses.

The Cardinals traveled to Atlanta after the Sunday game to take on the Braves for a four-game set. Here’s hoping for some fireworks in Atlanta.

The series against the Phillies did include some really great moments for the Cardinals. Let’s take a look at what the team did well.

Nolan Arenado hits for the cycle

On Friday, Arenado hit for the second cycle of his career, and his first as a St. Louis Cardinals.

Arenado knocked a triple to left field in the first inning, scoring Paul Goldschmidt. The triple traveled 397 feet at 103.9 mph. In the third inning, Arenado hit his 15th home run of the season on a fly-to-left field, scoring Goldschmidt. The homer traveled 355 feet at 92.9 mph.

Arenado got his double in the sixth inning on a liner to left field. Arenado got his single on a grounder to third base. He advanced to second base on a throwing error by Matt Vierling.

Arenado had to be pleased with the accomplishment but would have rather it came with a win instead of such a disappointing loss.

Cardinals hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back homers in the first inning Saturday

The first inning of Saturday’s game was filled with fireworks for the Cardinals.

Nolan Arenado, a day after hitting for the cycle, knocked his 16th home run of the season on a liner to left field, scoring Paul Goldschmidt. The homer traveled 354 feet at 106.3 mph.

The next batter, Nolan Gorman, hit his seventh home run of the season on a fly to right-center field. Gorman’s blast traveled 392 feet at 105.8 mph.

The next batter, Juan Yepez knocked his tenth home run of the season, on a fly to left field. This blast traveled 353 feet at a lazy 95.7 mph.

The next batter, Dylan Carlson blasted his fifth home run of the season which traveled 407 feet at a massive 107 mph.

Four home runs in a row! Unbelievable. The home run spree came off of Phillies starter Kyle Gibson.

The game was tied in the sixth inning until the ninth inning.

Arenado knocked his 17th home run of the season on a fly to left field. This home run traveled 365 feet at 95.4 mph.