Tuesday’s Game Report: Cardinals 10, Braves 4
By Rob Rains
If a team ever was in need of a big hit, it was the Cardinals on Tuesday night.
They had lost five games in a row and had only one win in their 11 road games this season as they were tied 4-4 in the eighth inning against the Braves in Atlanta.
Willson Contreras worked a walk to load the bases and Nolan Gorman came through with the big blow, lining a two-out double into the right field corner that cleared the bases and sent the Cardinals to the much-needed victory.
The Cardinals added three insurance runs in the ninth to put the game out of reach.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Victor Scott II had another big game in his hometown, going 3-of-4 with a pair of doubles, driving in a run and scoring three times … Scott also had three hits on Monday night … Scott also drew a walk when the Cardinals rallied from a 4-2 deficit to tie the game in the sixth with Masyn Winn’s single driving in the first of his two RBIs … He also delivered a sacrifice fly in the ninth … Lars Nootbaar hit a two-run homer, his fourth of the season, and added an RBI single in the ninth … Gorman had been 0-of-4 before delivering his big hit in the eighth.
On the mound: Andre Pallante failed to get through the fifth inning but Steven Matz bailed him out, working 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Matz got out of a two-on, no-out jam in the seventh to keep the game tied … Kyle Leahy retired all three hitters he faced in the eighth … Ryan Helsley made his first appearance in six games, even though it wasn’t a save situation, issuing two walks.
Key stat: The Cardinals had been 2-of-15 with the bases loaded this season before Gorman’s double, including Gorman flying out to end the sixth inning.
Worth noting: Winn was activated from the injured list before the game and Michael Siani was optioned to Memphis. Part of the reasoning for the move was the status of Brendan Donovan, who suffered a displaced rib on Tuesday and was not available for the game. That was part of the reason to keep Thomas Saggese on the roster and option Siani … Donovan’s status for Wednesday’s game is also questionable.
Up next: Miles Mikolas will get the start on Wednesday in the final game of the series and the road trip. First pitch is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. St. Louis time.
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