Monday’s Game Report: Cardinals 3, Rockies 2
By Rob Rains
Unable to start for the last three games because of a sore groin, Brendan Donovan was healthy enough to come off the bench as a pinch-hitter on Monday night.
The Cardinals were glad he did.
Donovan’s double in the eighth inning rallied the Cardinals from a 2-1 deficit, driving in the tying and go-ahead runs and turning a would-be loss into a victory.
Nolan Gorman started the rally by drawing a one-out walk, and went on second on a single by Thomas Saggese, his third hit of the game.
With Pedro Pages due up, Donovan came off the bench and lined the double into the right-field corner, scoring both pinch-runner Garrett Hampson and Saggese.
The Cardinals had been 5-50 when they were trailing after the seventh inning.
The win, their fourth in their last five games, allowed the Cardinals to pick up a half-game on the idle Mets in the race for the third wild-card spot. They trail the Mets by three games and are just a game behind the Reds, who are fourth in the wild-card standings.
Here is how Monday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals’ lone run before the eighth came in the third. Victor Scott II drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Alec Burleson … Scott had two steals in the game, his 30th and 31st of the season … The Cardinals left nine runners on base through the first six innings, failing to score in the sixth when they had runners on second and third with one out before Scott bunted into an out at the plate and Jordan Walker grounded out.
On the mound: Miles Mikolas did not allow a hit until Tyler Freeman singled with one out in the sixth. He was Colorado’s third baserunner, with one reaching on a throwing error by Gorman and the other on a walk … In the seventh, Mikolas gave up two singles to open the inning before a groundout drove in the tying run and Brenton Doyle’s single with two outs gave the Rockies the lead … Kyle Leahy allowed only one hit, a two-out single in the ninth, over the final 2 1/3 innings.
Key stat: Donovan had only driven in two runs as a pinch-hitter in 18 career at-bats before the double, those two coming on a home run against the Reds last September.
Worth noting: Lars Nootbaar had to leave the game three innings after fouling a ball off his left knee. X-rays were negative, and his status was said to be day-to-day … Top prospect JJ Wetherholt was named the Cardinals minor league player of the month for July while lefthander Braden Davis was named the pitcher of the month … In other minor-league awards, Quinn Mathews was named the International League pitcher of the week and Brycen Mautz won the pitcher of the week honor in the Texas League.
Up next: Matthew Liberatore will get the start on Tuesday night in the second game of the three-game series.
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