Cardinals rookie pitcher Luke Weaver was sharp to start the game, but a six-run third by the Giants made things look different quickly.
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So, standings update: The Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks, keeping the Giants four games back in the West.
Will Smith, Javier Lopez and Derek Law combined to retire four consecutive batters, allowing the Giants to take a 2-1 lead into the ninth, before the next three relievers couldn’t close the deal. That, in a way, is a circular argument, as the Cardinals had faced three bona fide Cy Young contenders in their previous four games. “Obviously we didn’t have the best series against the Padres, and sometimes you take a step back really and just re-frame, refresh, regroup”.
The loss puts the Cardinals three back of hosting the Wild Card game, but it also drops them two back of the Mets for playing in the first playoff game after NY topped Minnesota 3-0.
“I can feel it, and I know the guys can feel it”, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of the playoff race. “The standings are the standings and we know what they are. Still, you have to do yourself a favor and put them behind you and get ready for the next one”. A questionable decision by the normally dependable Molina opened the floodgates for the Giants in the six-run third. He makes that play 99 out of 100 times. After Angel Pagan walked to load the bases, Joe Panik hit a fly ball to right field that would have ended the inning had the Cardinals gotten an out on the bunt.
Logic would say the ideal scenario would be to avoid the Giants and ace Madison Bumgarner in a one-game wild-card matchup, but the Giants also have been in a complete tailspin since the All-Star break. Posey advanced to t. The Giants weren’t done. So, you want to be a Major League pitcher? “Don’t make mistakes, and take advantage when the other team makes one”.
Posey was all smiles in the dugout after his fourth-inning drive, his first home run in 185 at-bats and exactly two months – he last connected on July 16 at San Diego. Greinke (12-7) gave up three runs on four hits, struck out four and walked four. Belt was originally called out at the plate on Crawford’s double, but the Giants challenged and the call was reversed. The slugger hasn’t played since August 11, when he was hit by a pitch in an 11-inning loss to the Cubs. He’s 6-1 with a 3.07 ERA in nine outings (eight starts) at AT&T Park in San Francisco and 5-2 overall against the Giants with a 5.02 ERA in nine games (eight starts). The most vulnerable part of the Giants’ roster is the bullpen, and Bochy used his expanded roster to throw arms at the issue. “He’s usually not like that”. Moore (11-11), staked to a big early lead, won for the fourth time in his last five starts.
Samardzija walked four and struck out four. He has a 21.9 percent strikeout rate and 5.1 percent walk rate through 207 1/3 innings pitched.
The St. Louis Cardinals could use a win after losing five of their last seven games. Both teams finished with seven hits.
Whether it’s the Giants or Cardinals, though, the Mets are certainly pulling for one result: a sweep. In the fifth, Samardzija came up with two on and no outs and hit a sacrifice fly to right. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday (fractured thumb) waved off a scheduled live batting practice session for the second time in a week because of swelling in the thumb. Holliday has a pin in the thumb and hasn’t played since August 11.
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NOTES: Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman threw out the game’s ceremonial first pitch.
