Tuesday’s Game Report: Cardinals 7, Marlins 4
By Rob Rains
Injuries to Nolan Arenado and now Brendan Donovan have given Thomas Saggese a chance at regular playing time for the Cardinals, and he is trying to make the most of it.
Starting his 11th consecutive game on Tuesday night, Saggese had three hits, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and scored twice in the Cardinals’ second win over the Marlins in as many nights in Miami.
It was the fourth multi-hit game in that stretch for Saggese, who has gone 14-of-42, a .333 average, in the 11 games. In 15 games so far in August, Saggese has a .300 average, collecting 15 hits in 50 at-bats.
After the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first, Saggese led off the second with a single, igniting a two-run inning. He had a two-out single in the third to extend the inning before Pedro Pages singled in a run, and he also singled and scored in the fifth.
Saggese capped his day with a sacrifice fly in the seventh to drive in the Cardinals’ final run.
It was only the sixth time the Cardinals have won a game without hitting a home run since June 7, going 6-22 in their last 28 games when they failed to hit at least one home run.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Ivan Herrera drove in the first three runs for the Cardinals with an RBI single in the first and a two-run single in the second … The Cardinals’ first 11 hits in the game were singles and they did not get an extra-base hit until Alec Burleson doubled leading off the ninth … Two batters who were hit by a pitch later came around to score as did one batter who walked. Another run scored on a passed ball.
On the mound: Michael McGreevy allowed the four Miami runs over his six innings en route to picking up his fifth win of the season. One of the runs was unearned because of his own throwing error … Matt Svanson and JoJo Romero combined to retire all six hitters they faced with three strikeouts … Riley 0’Brien got himself in trouble by walking the first two hitters in the ninth, but he struck out the next two batters and got a ground out to end the game and record his second save.
Key stat: The Cardinals have scored 15 runs in the first two games of the series, getting nine hits in 28 at-bats with a runner in scoring position.
Worth noting: Outfielder Royelny Strop hit for the cycle and drove in eight runs for the Cardinals’ Dominican Summer League team on Tuesday in a 19-2 win over Colorado in the team’s final game of the regular season. The 17-year-old Strop, the son of former major-leaguer Pedro Strop, hit his first career home run, a grand slam, as part of his 4-of-6 day … Another teenage prospect, 18-year-old catcher Rainiel Rodriguez, hit his 16th homer on Tuesday night combined between the Complex League and Palm Beach.
Up next: Andre Pallante will get the start on Wednesday night as the Cardinals tried to complete a sweep of the three-game series.
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