Tuesday’s Game Report: Giants 11, Cardinals 3
By Rob Rains
The Cardinals have been frustrated by how many games they have lost by one run this season. They didn’t have to worry about that on Tuesday night.
Jack Flaherty failed to make it through the fifth inning, giving up six runs, the Giants hit back-to-back homers off Genesis Cabrera and added more runs late off Jake Woodford to complete the blowout win at Busch Stadium.
It was the ninth loss in the last 11 games for the Cardinals and dropped their season record to 27-41, matching their season low of 14 games under .500.
It’s the fewest wins for the Cardinals in the first 68 games of the season since they were 24-44 in 1978.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals scorded twice in the first inning as their first four batters reached base, but then didn’t score again until the eighth inning, collecting just three hits between the second and seventh innings … Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado each had two of the Cardinals total of seven hits … Goldschmidt and Dylan Carlson got the RBIs in the first inning, with Jordan Walker’s double driving in their final run in the eighth … They were 3-of-10 with runners in scoring position.
On the mound: Flaherty allowed 10 hits, walked three and threw 101 pitches in his 4 1/3 innings of work, his second shortest outing of his 14 starts this season … Cabrera entered the game with two runners on base and allowed one of them to score before giving up the home runs on consecutive pitches … Woodford made his first appearance since returning from Memphis and worked two scoreless innings before giving up two runs in the ninth.
Key stat: Willson Contreras went 0-of-3 with a walk, striking out in all three at-bats, as his batting average for the season fell to .198. He is just 4-of-58 in his last 18 games dating back to May 21.
Worth noting: Mitch Hanger broke his right arm when he was hit by a pitch by Flaherty in the third inning. The Giants also lost J.D. Davis in the inning when he sprained his right ankle sliding into third base … Walker was charged with his first error of the season but also earned his first outfield assist, throwing Davis out at third.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals will try to avoid being swept in the three-game series in the 12:15 p.m. game on Wednesday that concludes the homestand. Jordan Montgomery is the scheduled starter.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
