Monday’s Game Report: Athletics 11, Cardinals 3
By Rob Rains
Sonny Gray has had multiple starts this season when he thought the hot, humid weather in St. Louis directly impacted his performance.
He couldn’t use that excuse for what happened on Monday.
On a perfectly lovely 79-degree afternoon, Gray still found a way to allow seven runs over six innings and the Athletics coasted to the win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Gray surrendered three home runs in the span of 10 batters between the fourth and sixth innings, two coming off the bat of JJ Bleday. Gray saw his record since the All-Star break fall to 3-5 in nine starts.
The seven runs increased Gray’s ERA for the season to 4.43. In the nine starts since the All-Star break, Gray has an ERA of 6.44, allowing 36 earned runs in 50 1/3 innings.
Combined, the ERA this season for the Cardinals’ starters rose to 4.78.
Here is how Monday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals only had three hits through the first five innings, including a home run from Ivan Herrera leading off the fourth … Their second run came on a two-out RBI single from Masyn Winn in the sixth following a leadoff single from Lars Nootbaar and a walk to Herrera … Thomas Saggese led off the ninth with a double and scored on a single by pinch-hitter Jose Fermin … Nootbaar had three of the Cardinals’ eight hits.
On the mound: The first homer off Gray, a two-run shot from Bleday, was followed three pitches later by the second home run, from Zack Gelof. Gray allowed 10 hits, walked three and struck out five … The Athletics continued hitting against relievers Ryan Fernandez and Chris Roycroft, with Fernandez allowing two runners he inherited from Gray to score in the seventh and the two combining to give up four more runs in the eighth … Of the Athletics’ 15 hits, eight went for extra bases, the three homers and five doubles.
Key stat: The Cardinals struck out 12 times, their third consecutive game with 12 or more strikeouts. The total for the three games was 39, their most strikeouts in a three-game span this season. The strikeouts represented 48 percent of the 81 outs they made in the three games.
Worth noting: The Cardinals filled their two additional roster spots available on Sept. 1 by activating Victor Scott II from the injured list and recalling Roycroft from Memphis … No decision was made about placing reliever Riley O’Brien on the injured list as he deals with a sore shoulder. The team was waiting for the results of an MRI before making that decision … Brendan Donovan is progressing in his recovery from a sore groin and toe but is still likely several days away from beginning a rehab assignment in the minors … Nolan Arenado is scheduled to be back in St. Louis later this week to meet with medical personnel after working out in Florida the last few weeks, at which time the Cardinals hope to have a better idea about when he could be able to rejoin the team.
Up next: Miles Mikolas will get the start on Tuesday night in the second game of the three-game series.
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