Good, bad, and ugly of the Cardinals' series win over Reds

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The St. Louis Cardinals got a series win over the Cincinnati Reds to build on their lead in the NL Central.

It was frustrating at times, but the Cardinals did earn a big series win over the Reds. The Cardinals won 13-4 on Monday. The Cardinals lost on Tuesday 5-1. The Cardinals on Wednesday 5-3 in 13 innings.

The Cardinals got a well-deserved day off Thursday as they returned to St. Louis in preparation for a big three-game series against their NL Central rival Chicago Cubs. Even with the Cubs’ 56-75 record that has them in third place in the Central, a series with the Cubs is always a battle for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals are 76-55 with a 6.5 game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers, who are now 69-61 in second place in the NL Central. The Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres are tops in the NL Wild Card standings, with the Brewers falling three games back.

This should be an exciting month of baseball with a fine start to the month featuring a three-game set with their long-time rival Cubs on Labor Day weekend.

Now let’s take a look back at the series with the Reds.

Cardinals MVPs go to Wednesday’s pitchers

Jose Quintana started the game Wednesday, pitching in 4-2/3 innings. He gave up seven hits, a walk, and two earned runs. He did strikeout one batter while inducing six swings and misses.

After Quintana, the relief corp held things in check while waiting for their teammates to get some runs across the plate. Jordan Hicks pitched 1-1/3innings, giving up two hits and striking out one.

Giovanny Gallegos pitched 1-2/3 innings, giving up a hit, walking one, and striking out two while inducing a game-high ten swings and misses.

Jojo Romero pitched an inning, giving up one hit and striking out a batter. Ryan Helsley pitched 1-1/3 innings, giving up two walks and striking out two batters.

Andre Pallante earned his 6th victory, pitching three innings as the game went into extra innings. He gave up three hits, three walks, and one earned run while striking out one batter and inducing four swings and misses. Pallante pitched with ice water in his veins and stepped up in a massive moment for his team. It was great to see from a young guy who has been significant for this team since joining the roster out of spring training.

Good moments for the Cardinals in winning series

Albert Pujols

Every moment at bat can generate some history for Pujols, and Monday was no exception.

Pujols hit the 694th home run of his legendary career, and the 15th of his season, on a liner to right field, scoring Tyler O’Neill. The homer traveled 369 feet at a cool 98.1 mph. It is incredible to see him still have some opposite field power.

In the 13th inning of Wednesday’s game, Pujols knocked a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Paul Goldschmidt. The sac fly broke the tie game that had lasted nine innings.

Tyler O’Neill

Tyler O’Neill hit the 11th home run of his season on a fly to left-center field off Chase Anderson. The home run traveled 423 feet at 108.1 mph. O’Neill knocked his second homer of the game, and the 12 of the season, on a fly to left field, scoring Nolan Arenado. The homer traveled 403 feet at 108.5 mph.

In the ninth inning, Corey Dickerson hit a solo blast to right field off Alejo Lopez. This was his fifth homer of the season. The homer traveled 380 feet at102.2 mph.

Tommy Edman

Edman came up clutch Monday hitting a double in the second inning to right field, scoring Albert Pujols and Corey Dickerson.

Edman scored the lone run in Tuesday’s game for the Cardinals with his 11th home run of the season. The fly to the right field off Justin Dunn traveled 427 feet at 107.3 mph. It was great to see him have a big moment.

Nolan Arenado

Arenado doubles on a sharp liner to left field on Monday to score Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan.

Arenado tied things up at two a piece with Wednesday’s 28th home run of the year. The fly to left field scored Paul Goldschmidt. The home run traveled 406 feet at 104.3 mph.

Lars Nootbaar

In the second inning of Monday’s game, Nootbaar singled to right field, scoring Andrew Knizner. Brendan Donovan then singled to right field, scoring Edman and Nootbaar.

In the 13th inning of Wednesday’s game, Nootbaar sealed things up nicely for his team as he hit his 10th home run of the year on a fly to right field. The homer scored Tyler O’Neill. The homer traveled 382 feet at 106.5 mph. This was a huge moment from Nootbaar, who keeps coming up clutch for his team.

Bad moments for the Cardinals in the series win

Miles Mikolas

Mikolas had another frustrating outing for the Cardinals, getting a no-decision for his 4.1 innings of work. He gave up six hits, a walk, and four earned runs, including three home runs in the bottom of the fifth inning from T.J. Friedl, Stuart Fairchild, and Chuckie Robinson.

Mikolas did strike out three while inducing seven swings and misses, but he did not have his best game Monday. Hopefully, he will shake this off and return stronger in his next outing.

Chris Stratton earned the victory for the Cardinals, his seventh of the year, in his 1.2 innings of work. He walked two and struck out two. Zack Thompson pitched two innings of work, giving up a walk and striking out two batters. He did induce five swings and misses.

Jake Woodford pitched the game’s final inning, giving up a hit.

Dakota Hudson

Hudson is now 7-7 on the season after Tuesday’s losing effort. He pitched 4.2 innings, giving up nine hits, a walk, and a home run to former Cardinal Austin Romine. Hudson gave up a total of five earned runs. Hudson struck out two batters while inducing five swings and misses. Jake Woodford came in to relieve Hudson, but not soon enough.

Woodford pitched 3.1 innings, giving up two hits while striking out two batters and inducing five swings and misses.

RISP

Leaving runners in scoring position was a massive problem for the Cardinals in this series. With a line-up as loaded as the Cardinals is, it is frustrating to see this happen.

Even with their huge win Monday, the team was only 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position, leaving six on the base path.

The team was 0-for-two with runners in scoring position on Tuesday, having left four on base. Tyler O’Neill grounded in a double play. O’Neill and Molina were each left in scoring position.

On Wednesday, the Cardinals were an atrocious 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position. Paul Goldschmidt was left in scoring position with two outs on three occasions in the game. They left 13 teammates on the basepath in total. Nolan Arenado and Dylan Carlson each grounded into double plays.

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Good, bad, and ugly of the Cardinals’ series win over Reds