Friday’s Game Report: Yankees 4, Cardinals 3
By Rob Rains
The Cardinals could not overcome another poor start from Andre Pallante on Friday night.
Pallante gave up three runs in the first inning to the Yankees and another in the third that sent New York to the win in the opener of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals pulled within 4-3 with one run in the sixth and two in the seventh but could not push the tying run across the plate as they lost their consecutive game.
The Cardinals have won only one of Pallante’s last nine starts and in those nine games he has allowed 31 earned runs in 46 1/3 innings, an ERA of 6.02.
Here is how Friday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: After being held to just two hits through the first five innings, the Cardinals scored in the sixth on back-to-back doubles from Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn … In the seventh, Victor Scott II doubled in a run and a wild pitch brought the Cardinals within one run but Nootbaar struck out to end the inning, stranding Scott on third … The Cardinals hit into four double plays.
On the mound: Pallante worked five innings, allowing six hits and walking three while striking out eight. Four of the hits he allowed came in the first two innings, including a two-run homer by Jazz Chisholm Jr … The homer was the 25th allowed by the Cardinals in the first inning this season, tied with Rockies for the most in the NL … The bullpen turned in four scoreless innings, pitching around four walks and a single.
Key stat: The three runs in the first inning off Pallante increased the total number of earned runs he has allowed in the first two innings this season to 30 in 47 2/3 innings, an ERA of 5.66.
Worth noting: The Cardinals played the game with a short bench. Brendan Donovan was in the original lineup but was a late scratch because of a sore too. Willson Contreras also was unavailable as he recovers from being hit on his right foot by a pitch in Tuesday night’s game … Former Cardinal Paul Goldschmidt was back at Busch Stadium but was not in the Yankees starting lineup because of a sore right knee. He did enter the game late as a defensive replacement and hopes to start on Saturday night or Sunday.
Up next: Sonny Gray will get the start on Saturday night in the middle game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. and the game will be televised by Fox.
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Postgame Audio:
Oliver Marmol
