Monday’s Game Report: Blue Jays 5, Cardinals 4 (10 innings)
By Rob Rains
Ryan Helsley’s struggles reached another low point on Monday night as he suffered his third consecutive blown save in the Cardinals’ loss to the Blue Jays at Busch Stadium.
A three-run homer by Ivan Herrera had wiped out a 3-1 Toronto lead in the eighth inning, but the celebration was quelled two batters into the top of the ninth when Jonatan Clase, the Blue Jay’s ninth-place hitter, homered off Helsley to tie the game.
The Blue Jays then won the game with a run in the 10th off Phil Maton.
It’s the third consecutive time in the last week that Helsley entered the game with the Cardinals leading by a run only to allow the tying run. In the first two games over Kansas City and Los Angeles, the Cardinals came back to win the game.
Monday night’s loss marked only the second time in 38 games this season the Cardinals lost when they had been leading after eight innings.
Here is how Monday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals had been shut out on three hits through the seventh inning and trailed 3-0 when Victor Scott II drew a walk to open the eighth. Masyn Winn’s one-out single sent Scott to third and he scored on a two-out single by Willson Contreras. Herrera followed with his three-run homer, tucked inside the left field foul pole, to give the Cardinals their short-lived lead … After the Cardinals were retired in order in the ninth, Lars Nootbaar struck out to open the 10th, Winn grounded out and Brendan Donovan flew out to end the game and leave the would-be tying run on third.
On the mound: The Blue Jays scored a run off Andre Pallante in each of the first two innings before he worked his way out of a third-inning jam and then retired 11 of the next 12 hitters he faced … Riley O’Brien gave up a leadoff home run in the eighth that increased Toronto’s lead to 3-0 … With one out in the ninth, Clase homered off Helsley, who also gave up a two-out double before getting out of the inning after suffering his fifth blown save of the season … In the 10th, a leadoff double off Maton drove in the automatic runner from second.
Key stat: Of Herrera’s seven home runs this season, five have either tied the game or given the Cardinals the lead. Three have come in the eighth inning and three have been three-run blasts.
Worth noting: The Cardinals optioned Michael McGreevy and Matt Svanson to Memphis before the game, bringing up O’Brien and Chris Roycroft to give them two fresh arms in the bullpen. The Cardinals have a day off next Monday, so they will not need a sixth starter again until their stretch of 16 consecutive games begins on June 23 … After two outstanding months at Double A Springfield, pitching prospect Tekoah Roby was promoted to Memphis on Monday … Tink Hence, coming back from a ribcage injury, had his rehab assignment moved from Palm Beach to Peoria.
Up next: Miles Mikolas will get the start on Tuesday night in the second game of the series.
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