Wednesday’s Game Report: Phillies 11, Cardinals 4
Genesis Cabrera will always remember his major league debut, even if it did not go quite as he would have liked. For Michael Wacha, Wednesday night was just another game he would like to forget as soon as possible.
Cabrera was called up from Memphis to make the start against the Phillies in Philadelphia, in Wacha’s former spot in the Cardinals rotation. He did not make it through the fourth inning, giving up five runs, although the first two were unearned because of an error by Dexter Fowler.
Wacha followed Cabrera to the mound, with the Cardinals trailing 4-1, as he made his first relief appearance since losing his starting role. It did not go well.
Wacha gave up a walk and two hits to the first three hitters he faced, including a two-run double by Bryce Harper, before getting the final out in the fourth. He did not make it through the fifth, when he allowed three home runs as the Phillies blew the game open.
The loss ensured that the Cardinals will go the entire month of May without winning a series, going 0-7-1.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals scored one run on four hits in the first seven innings, a home run by Matt Wieters in the fourth, on the 10th anniversary of his major-league debut … A single by pitcher John Brebbia led to a three-run eighth inning which included an RBI single by Marcell Ozuna and a run-scoring double by Wieters, making only his fifth start of the season … In his five starts Wieters has gone 8-of-17 with seven RBIs … Paul DeJong also had a single in the inning, snapping his career-long 0-of-24 streak … Fowler was 0-of-5 and is now hitless in 19 at-bats since moving into the leadoff spot.
On the mound: Cabrera could have completed his first major-league inning without allowing a run if Fowler had not dropped a fly ball which extended the inning. He struck out the side in the second and then gave up a two-run homer to Harper in the third. He left with a runner on first and two out in the fourth, with the run later scoring after Wacha came into the game … After he finally got out of the fourth, Wacha allowed five more runs on three homers in the fifth. He had only allowed three homers in a game three times in his career, but never all in the same inning … Tyler Webb and John Brebbia did not allow a run over the final 3 1/3 innings.
Key stat: The loss was the Cardinals’ 18th in May, their most losses in the month since they went 8-18 in 1980. They are now 7-18 for the month, with two games remaining. The seven wins matches the total number of wins by the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs this month after the Blues’ 3-2 overtime win over the Bruins Wednesday night in game two of the Stanley Cup Final.
Worth noting: Wieters got the start because Yadier Molina is dealing a sore thumb. Molina’s status is considered day-to-day … It’s not official but all indications are that the next start for Alex Reyes will be on Sunday in Memphis … It likely will be another week to 10 days before Austin Gomber returns to the Memphis rotation because he is going on paternity leave this weekend and then likely will make a rehab start in Florida … Lane Thomas, sent back to Memphis to open a roster spot for Cabrera, made it to Memphis just before Wednesday night’s game and pinch-hit in the seventh inning and played the final two innings in the outfield … Tommy Edman made his second career start in center field for the Redbirds as the Cardinals continue to prep him for a utility role.
Looking ahead: Dakota Hudson will get the start on Thursday as the Cardinals close out the series in Philadelphia and try to prevent a three-game sweep by the Phillies.
