Sunday’s Game Report: Cardinals 5, Yankees 1
By Rob Rains
For the fourth time since June 14, Andrew Knizner was behind the plate for the Cardinals on Sunday for Jordan Montgomery’s start against the Yankees at Busch Stadium.
It might not be a coincidence that for the fourth game in a row, Montgomery turned in a dazzling performance, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning as he picked up the win over his former team.
Over those four starts, in which Montgomery is 3-0 with a no-decision, he has allowed five earned runs in a combined 26 2/3 innings, an ERA of 1.69.
“We’re rolling, might as well keep it going,” Montgomery said. “We’re just executing, sticking to strengths and kind of staying on the attack.”
Montgomery didn’t allow a hit until Gleyber Torres doubled inside the right-field line with two outs in the sixth.
“We’re just trying to ride a good thing as long as we can,” Knizner said. “Me and Monty have some good communication before he even pitches. We talk about some guys and throughout the day he starts we are able to talk, really formulate a good game plan.
“One thing Monty is really good at is communicating throughout the game and I appreciate that. I want to know what you’re feeling, what you’re thinking, to know what your feel is on the mound. He’s a guy with experience so I lean on his experience more than anything. I trust him.”
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: Brendan Donovan reached base four times while serving as the DH, including hitting a two-run homer in the seventh that provided two insurance runs … Jordan Walker and Knizner both singled in runs in the fourth, after a leadoff double from Nolan Arenado and a single by Alec Burleson … The Cardinals’ final run came in the eighth when Dylan Carlson led off with a single, went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and came home on a throwing error by the catcher.
On the mound: The only run off Montgomery came in the seventh inning, and was unearned because of a passed ball, on strike three, before Jake Bauers drove in the run with a double off the center field wall, only the second hit for the Yankees … Giovanny Gallegos protected the 2-1 lead with a three-pitch strikeout for the third out, then pitched around a leadoff walk in the eighth … Jordan Hicks worked the ninth, allowing a single and walk with two outs.
Key stat: The win gave the Cardinals a record of 16-15 this season when Knizner is the starting catcher. Their record when Willson Contreras is the starting catcher is 19-33.
Worth noting: The Cardinals did not have any players named as a reserve or on the pitching staff as the rest of the rosters were announced for the All-Star game, meaning Nolan Arenado will be their only representative unless someone is added as an injury replacement … Before Sunday’s game. Drew VerHagen was placed on the injured list because of a right hip impingement and JoJo Romero was recalled from Memphis … Tyler O’Neill, who has been out since May 5 because of a back injury, is expected to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday night with Memphis.
Looking ahead: Miles Mikolas will get the start on Monday night (5:40 p.m. St. Louis time) for the first of four games against the Marlins in Miami. The Cardinals will then head to Chicago for three games against the White Sox prior to the All-Star break,
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
