Sunday’s Game Report: Marlins 10, Cardinals 3
By Rob Rains
Kyle Gibson knows there will be a lot of games this season when his family, friends and neighbors will make the trip from Washington, Mo., to watch him pitch.
For the ones who were at Busch Stadium on Sunday, including his parents who made the drive from Indiana, Gibson wished he had given more reasons to cheer.
Gibson allowed two three-run homers to the Marlins in the first inning, putting the Cardinals in a 6-0 hole before they took an at-bat in the game.
“It’s never good when your team doesn’t have a chance after the first inning,” Gibson said. “I’ve been told you obviously can’t win the game in the first but you can lose it in the first and unfortunately I just didn’t give the team a chance to win.”
Gibson had made two starts in Busch Stadium, as a visitor, in 2015 and 2022, and he thinks he might have had more people at those games simply because of the uncertainty of when he would pitch there again.
“It had a different feel,” Gibson said. “Being in the Cardinal uniform, the excitement level. In years past didn’t ever know if you would get the chance to be in a Cardinals’ uniform. I’m sure there will be times when we have a lot more (people), knowing it’s going to be more of a regular thing.”
It was only the second time in 113 games against the Marlins in St. Louis that the Cardinals allowed six or more runs in the first inning. The only other time it happened was when Miami scored seven on May 15, 1998 in a game started by Brady Raggio.
The last time the Cardinals had allowed six runs in the first inning to any opponent was against the Dodgers in 2016.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals did not have a baserunner until Nolan Gorman hit the first of his two home runs, into the basket in center field, with one out in the fifth … They had only two more hits, when Jordan Walker followed with a double, and Nolan Arenado singled with two outs in the sixth before a rain delay interrupted the game going to the bottom of the ninth. When play resumed, Michael Siani tripled before Gorman’s second homer … Victor Scott II was 0-of-3, dropping to 3-of-36 to begin his career. He his hitless in his last 17 at-bats … Pedro Pages made his major-league debut as a pinch-hitter in the eighth but struck out.
On the mound: After the rough start, Gibson settled down and pitched through the sixth inning, allowing only two hits after the first, striking out five and throwing 94 pitches. He retired 15 of the last 16 hitters he faced between the second and sixth innings … Gibson is the only Cardinals starter to work six or more innings in each of his two starts this season … The Marlins scored their final three runs off Ryan Fernandez.
Key stat: The Cardinals have been out-homered 17-7 so far this season. The 17 homers are the most allowed in the NL while the only teams in the majors with less homers than the Cardinals are the Guardians (six) and Twins (three).
Worth noting: Sonny Gray will make his Cardinals debut on Tuesday night against the Phillies. It will be the first true game he will have pitched in since he hurt his hamstring in a spring training start on March 4, having appeared in simulated games in Florida and against the Cardinals’ Double A hitters in Springfield last week. He had been expected to pitch in Memphis but talked his way into the start at Busch Stadium, “He says he’s 100 percent healthy and ready to contribute to this team and I trust that,” said manager Oli Marmol. “He’s a big piece for us and he’s beyond excited to compete and help us.” Gray will take the place of Zack Thompson in the rotation … Said Gray, “Waiting has not been easy … It’s just time. It’s just time for me to compete and put on the uniform.” … Lars Nootbaar served as the DH for Memphis on Sunday at Indianapolis and had a single in three at-bats, also walking twice. He likely will rejoin the Cardinals on Monday … The Cardinals were charged with their first error of the season on a relay throw from Masyn Winn in the seventh inning that sailed past catcher Ivan Herrera. Brendan Donovan then committed a fielding error in the eighth after he took over for Arenado at third base.
Looking ahead: Miles Mikolas will get the start on Monday night in the opener of the three-game series against the Phillies.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
