He seemed to settle in after allowing two runs in the third inning on a Jeremy Hazelbaker home run to right that tied the game. Curt Schilling holds the modern day single season record (11.57 at Veterans Stadium in 1997). George Springer went 4-for-5 with a homer for the Astros, who also got long balls from Evan Gattis and Teoscar Hernandez in ending a five-game skid. I’m not a fan of this so I’ll be a homer… “We’ve got a lot of guys in the lineup that can do a lot of damage”. I know how hitters are and they know how I throw.
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“It’s not the only way we can score runs but it’s our main way, ” Moss said. “He probably could’ve given us another inning, but we’ve got a couple of good guys in the bullpen to finish it off”. Velasquez was blitzed for five runs – all in the fifth and sixth innings – on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings while striking out 10 against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.
The Cardinals finished off a 6-3 trip by winning two of three games at Citizens Bank Park. Because of the brief interleague series in Chicago against the White Sox this week, the Phils will be off Monday, play Tuesday and Wednesday, then have an off day in NY on Thursday before playing the Mets next weekend.
The Reds wasted no time pouncing on Norris as the first five batters reached base, four with hits, including Votto’s blast over the center field wall for his 20th home run of the season. The ball, a potential double-play ball, skittered past shortstop Greg Garcia and into the outfield.
Hazelbaker’s home run gave St. Louis nine players with double-digit home runs on the year – the most in baseball and tied for the most in a season in franchise history (2000).
To continue their climb in the standings, the Cardinals will need good outings from their pitching staff. Adam Wainwright struggled a bit with a wet mound in Philadelphia on Friday night but battled to complete six innings. Alex Reyes blanked the Phillies in the 11th for his first save, getting Odubel Herrera to ground out with runners on first and second to end the game.
In a 1-2-3 second inning, he three just 11 pitches and struck out a pair. Leake did not get a decision in a 6-4 win at the Cubs last time out with three runs scoring in six innings.
But Velasquez threw 28 pitches in the frame. But he settled in over the middle innings despite the Cardinals smacking three hard outs in the fourth. Herrera, back in the leadoff spot with Cesar Hernandez out for the second straight game with a foot injury, led off the bottom of the first with a single and quickly rounded the bases on Galvis’ RBI double to the gap in right-center.
Vince Velasquez will try to break out of a recent funk this afternoon, with a 1:35 p.m ET first pitch at Citizens Bank Park. They had hit at least two home runs in eight straight entering Saturday.
Brandon Moss, Stephen Piscotty, Jedd Gyorko, and Jeremy Hazelbaker all went deep in the win for St. Louis. Hellickson’s start, coupled with two off days sandwiching next week’s interleague series in Chicago, should be able to give the bullpen a break.
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While Velasquez feels he’s sound of body at this late seasonal date – and let’s face it, the beat-up Phillies are so starter-poor right now, he isn’t about to say he’s exhausted even if he was dragging out there – he is honest enough to admit that maybe his head hasn’t been in the right place when it comes to pacing himself.
