Sunday’s Game Report: Diamondbacks 5, Cardinals 3
By Rob Rains
It was a lost weekend in the desert for the Cardinals.
The problem on Sunday was the same as it had been in the first two games of the series against the Diamondbacks – a poor outing from their starting pitcher.
Miles Mikolas allowed four runs in the first inning, including a three-run homer from Eugenio Suarez, and the Cardinals could not overcome the early deficit as Arizona finished off the series sweep in Phoenix.
The Diamondbacks added their fifth run off Mikolas in the third on Suarez’s second homer of the game and fourth in the last two days. Arizona also jumped on Andre Pallante on Friday night and Sonny Gray on Saturday as they outscored the Cardinals 16-1 in the first three innings in the series.
Since June 30 the Cardinals have been outscored 49-18 in the first three innings in their last 15 games, going 4-11 in that span. They are 1-8 on the road during that 15-game stretch.
It was the sixth consecutive game in which the Cardinals’ starter was not able to pitch more than 4 2/3 innings.
The team has 10 games left before the trading deadline on July 31.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals were held to seven hits … Victor Scott II doubled to lead off the third, stole third and scored on Ivan Herrera’s single … They loaded the bases on three consecutive walks with nobody out in the fifth but only scored once, on Brendan Donovan’s groundout … The final run scored in the eighth when Jordan Walker’s double drove in Masyn Winn, who had singled. Walker also singled in the seventh, the only Cardinal with a two-hit day.
On the mound: Mikolas came out of the game after four innings and 68 pitches. His ERA for the season climbed to 5.20 and he has only won once in his last nine starts … The Cardinals got a scoreless inning in relief each from Steven Matz, Riley O’Brien, JoJo Romero and Ryan Helsley. The four combined allowed three hits and struck out six.
Key stat: Suarez is the first player to have consecutive games with two homers against the Cardinals since Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers in 2018. Suarez has 26 career homers against the Cardinals in 120 games, second among active players to Ian Happ’s 27 homers.
Worth noting: The Cardinals have lost five consecutive games at Arizona dating back to last year … They were swept in a series at Arizona for the first time since September 2007 … The loss left the Cardinals 51-49 after the first 100 games of the season. They are in sole possession of fourth place in the NL Central, one game behind the Reds and 8 ½ games out in the division behind the Cubs and Milwaukee, who tied the Cubs for the division lead on Sunday … The Cardinals are going to skip Matthew Liberatore’s turn in the rotation this week after the All-Star break to give him extra rest. Liberatore already has surpassed his career-high in innings pitched in a season.
Up next: The road trip will continue with the first of three games against the Rockies on Monday night in Colorado. Michael McGreevy will be promoted from Memphis to make the start, with the corresponding roster move to be announced on Monday. Erick Fedde and Pallante are the scheduled starters for the last two games of the series.
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