Sunday’s Game Report: Cubs 11, Cardinals 0
By Rob Rains
Starting Erick Fedde in the final game of the weekend series against the Cubs, two days after Miles Mikolas started the opener, went about the way most Cardinals fans expected on Sunday night.
The struggling Fedde did not give up the six homers that Mikolas did on Friday, but he recorded only four outs and failed to get out of the second inning. Fedde’s streak since his last win reached 10 consecutive starts as the Cubs blew out the Cardinals at Wrigley Field.
The 11-0 win was the biggest shutout win for the Cubs over the Cardinals at Wrigley since another 11-0 win in 1937.
Fedde only allowed three runs but his four walks prompted the early call to the bullpen and left more questions about the future for both Fedde and Mikolas in the rotation moving forward.
The Cubs onslaught continued against John King and Matt Svanson as a five-run third inning blew the game open. The Cubs scored in each of the first five innings.
Here is how Sunday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals were shut out for the sixth time in their last 11 games … Three of their six hits were infield singles and they were 0-of-7 with a runner in scoring position … They only put two runners on base in the same inning once, on a first-inning walk to Masyn Winn and an infield single by Willson Contreras, but Alec Burleson and Yohel Pozo struck out to end the inning … Nine of their first 12 outs through the first four innings came on strikeouts.
On the mound: Fedde walked two and allowed one hit as the Cubs scored once in the first inning, then allowed a double and walked two more batters in the second before he was pulled with the bases loaded after throwing 53 pitches, only 26 for strikes … King allowed two of the inherited runners to score and he allowed the first four batters to reach base in the third, all of whom came around to score … King and Svanson were each charged with four runs.
Key stat: Fedde’s last win came on May 9 and the last win for Mikolas was on May 23. Since then, the two are a combined 0-9 in 15 starts.
Worth noting: Brendan Donovan was named to the NL roster for the All-Star game as the backup second baseman. As of now he will be the Cardinals’ lone representative in the game … Nolan Arenado missed his second consecutive game because of an impingement in his right shoulder. The Cardinals hope he will be able to play on Tuesday … It was also a bad day in the minors for Jordan Walker and Michael McGreevy. Walker, on a rehab assignment with Springfield, was 1-of-5 and struck out four times. In four games with the team he is 2-of-18 with nine strikeouts … McGreevy had his worst start of the season for Memphis, giving up seven hits and eight runs and working only three innings against Nashville. Seven of the runs scored in the third inning … It was a better day for top prospect J.J. Wetherholt, who had the first two-homer game of his professional career for Springfield.
Up next: The Cardinals have Monday off and then open a six-game homestand against Washington and Atlanta at Busch Stadium on Tuesday night that will take them to the All-Star break. Andre Pallante is the scheduled starter for Tuesday night’s game against the Nationals, who fired their general manager and manager on Sunday.
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