Monday’s Game Report: Cardinals 10, Diamondbacks 6
By Rob Rains
A five-run ninth inning gave the Cardinals a win over the Diamondbacks on Monday night in Arizona, but it came too late to help Adam Wainwright get a victory.
Wainwright, returning from the injured list, worked five innings and was in line for his 199th career victory when he left with a 5-2 lead only to watch the bullpen give up two runs in the sixth and two in the seventh that gave the Diamondbacks a 6-5 lead.
That was the score going to the ninth, when the Cardinals mounted the rally, getting an RBI single from Paul Goldschmidt to tie the game, a bases-loaded walk to Lars Nootbaar that put the Cardinals in front and then a three-run double by Tyler O’Neill to cap the inning.
The win broke the Cardinals three-game losing streak.
Here is how Monday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals got a two-run homer from Goldschmidt in the first inning and a solo shot from Nolan Arenado in the fifth, only the second time this season they both have homered in the same game … The Cardinals also scored twice in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Dylan Carlson and an RBI single by Taylor Motter … In the ninth, Paul DeJong led off with a single, Willson Contreras walked with one out and Brendan Donovan singled to load the bases, his third hit of the game, in front of Goldschmidt’s game-tying hit. After Arenado struck out, Nootbaar walked on a 3-2 pitch and O’Neill, who had entered the game for defense in the seventh inning, cleared the bases with his double into the left-field corner.
On the mound: Wainwright was scheduled to throw about 65 pitches but ended up throwing 76 as he got through the fifth inning to qualify for the win. He gave up a run in the first and one in the second but then retired nine batters in a row before giving up a two-out walk and single in the fifth before getting the final out … Chris Stratton and JoJo Romero could not protect the three-run lead, each allowing two runs … Giovanny Gallegos finally got the final out in the seventh and worked around a leadoff single in the eighth … Jordan Hicks pitched the ninth, allowing a leadoff walk and a single, but nailed down the victory.
Key stat: The win was the fourth of the season for the Cardinals in a game they trailed after eight innings. They are now 4-46 in those games.
Worth noting: Activating Wainwright was part of a series of roster moves for the Cardinals before the game. The team optioned Zack Thompson and Ivan Herrera to Memphis and purchased the contract of lefthanded reliever Andrew Suarez from the Triple A club. To open a 40-man roster spot for Suarez, Ryan Helsley was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Helsley (forearm) now will be out until the middle of August … The moves returned the roster to 13 pitchers and 13 position players … Both Nolan Gorman (back) and Contreras (hip) were out of the lineup for a second consecutive day, although Contreras pinch hit in the top of the ninth then caught the bottom of the inning.
Looking ahead: Steven Matz will get the start on Tuesday night in the second game of the series.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
