Wednesday’s Game Report: Rockies 6, Cardinals 0
By Rob Rains
Getting shut out by the worst team in baseball was a disappointing ending to a frustrating road trip for the Cardinals.
The Rockies had a record of 24-75 this season before winning two of the three games against the Cardinals in Colorado, finishing off the series on Wednesday with their first shutout in 220 games, dating back to May 15 of last season.
The Cardinals were outscored 38-17 and went 1-5 on the post-All Star break trip to Arizona and Colorado.
This was only the fourth time the Cardinals have been shut out in 111 career games at Coors Field. The most recent shutout there was on May 26, 2017.
Andre Pallante allowed the first five Colorado runs over five innings, a problem the Cardinals could not avoid on the trip. The starters combined to allow 33 runs, 30 of them earned, over 27 innings.
Here is how Wednesday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals were held to five hits in getting shut out for the ninth time this season … Jordan Walker had a two-out double in the fourth and Willson Contreras hit a double with one out in the sixth but neither runner advanced past second as the Cardinals were 0-of-5 with a runner in scoring position … Their only other hit after the second inning was a one-out single by Ivan Herrera in the eighth.
On the mound: Pallante has allowed 17 earned runs (18 total) in his last three starts covering 15 2/3 innings … Four of the runs came in the second inning when the Rockies strung together five consecutive singles with one out, following a leadoff walk … Andre Granillo worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings, working around two hits and a walk … The final Rockies run scored on a home run by Ezequiel Tovar off John King leading off the eighth.
Key stat: The Cardinals were outscored 28-1 in the first three innings in the six games on the trip, including 12-0 in the three games against the Rockies. The Cardinals have scored a total of two first-inning runs in their last 11 road games.
Worth noting: Before the game the Cardinals announced that Erick Fedde had been designated for assignment. The move followed his latest poor start on Tuesday night when he allowed six runs in three innings. Fedde had been winless in his last 12 starts since May 9, going 0-7 while the team was 2-10 in those games. Fedde had an ERA of 6.38 while allowing 93 baserunners in 55 innings over that stretch … The move comes a week before the July 31 trading deadline, when the Cardinals had hoped they would be able to include Fedde in a deal … The move clears a spot for Michael McGreevy to remain in the rotation and he is scheduled to start on Sunday against the Padres, the team he cheered for when he was growing up in southern California … Granillo was recalled from Memphis to replace Fedde on the roster.
Up next: The Cardinals return home on Thursday night to open a four-game series against the Padres. Sonny Gray is the scheduled starter.
Follow Rob Rains on X @RobRains
