Thursday’s Game Report: Cardinals 5, Mariners 4
A couple of weeks ago, Tommy Edman – who grew up in California – wondered if he would still be on the Cardinals when they went on a West Coast road trip.
Jedd Gyorko was expected back from the injured list, and a player – likely an infielder – probably would be heading back to Memphis. Gyorko had a setback, however, and Edman not only was still on the team, he has found himself in the middle of some exciting moments on that trip this week, the latest coming on Thursday.
His two-run single in the seventh inning turned a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 lead as the Cardinals once again came from behind to beat the Mariners in Seattle.
On Wednesday night, Edman had come through with a pinch-hit, three-run homer that capped a five-run ninth inning rally in the Cardinals’ win. Earlier on the trip, in San Diego, hit a leadoff home run.
Edman’s single made Daniel Ponce de Leon the winning pitcher after he relieved Michael Wacha. The win was the first of his major-league career.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals’ first three-runs came on home runs. Matt Wieters, who had been 0-of-19 batting right-handed this season before homering on Sunday, made it two home runs in his last two right-handed at-bats in the third. Dexter Fowler hit a two-run homer, his ninth of the season, in the fourth … In the seventh, the Cardinals loaded the bases on two walks and a single before Edman delivered his go-ahead hit on the ninth pitch of an at-bat. He fouled off four pitches before lining a single to right. One of the fouls just missed being a grand slam … Edman’s hit was the only one by the Cardinals in five at-bats with a runner in scoring position.
On the mound: Wacha failed to make it through the fourth inning, giving up all four Seattle runs. He allowed six hits, walked two and did not strike out any of the 17 hitters he faced … Ponce de Leon allowed just one walk in 2 2/3 innings of relief. He had been 0-2 in seven career starts for the Cardinals despite posting a 2.10 ERA in those starts … John Gant, Andrew Miller and Carlos Martinez combined to pitch the last three innings. Miller got out of a jam when the Mariners had runners on second and third and only one out in the eighth with back-to-back strikeouts. Wieters saved a run when a diving stop on a pitch that otherwise would have been a wild pitch … Martinez earned his third save.
Key stat: In the three-game series, Cardinals relievers combined to allow just six hits and one run in 13 innings while recording 19 strikeouts. For the series the Mariners were just 2-of-20 with a runner in scoring position.
Worth noting: Manager Mike Shildt was ejected for the second time this season and fourth time in his career. Home plate umpire Rob Drake ejected Shildt in the fourth inning after Shildt was upset that Drake failed to grant time after it was requested by Yairo Munoz … Wieters now has five homers in 71 at-bats this season. Yadier Molina has four homers in 260 at-bats … The last Cardinal catcher other than Molina to hit five or more home runs in a season was Mike Matheny, who hit five in 2004 … The Cardinals on Thursday promoted their top pick in this year’s draft, left-handed pitcher Zack Thompson, from the rookie-level GCL Cardinals to Palm Beach. Their third-round pick, right-handed pitcher Tony Locey, was promoted from the GCL team to Peoria.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals will begin their final series before the All-Star break on Friday night in San Francisco. Dakota Hudson is the scheduled starter.
