Monday’s Game Report: Reds 11, Cardinals 6
By Rob Rains
With several of their top relievers unavailable because of their recent heavy workload, the Cardinals knew that if they got into the late innings with a lead on Monday night it might be a challenge.
That turned out to exactly be the case.
After a three-run sixth put them in front of the Reds 4-3 going to the seventh at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals went through five relievers to get the next nine outs.
By the time they got the third out in the ninth, the Reds had put 13 runners on base, added a sacrifice fly and scored eight runs to blow the game open.
Chris Roycroft started the parade, retiring only one of the four hitters he faced. John King gave up an inherited runner, Ryan Fernandez retired one of the four hitters he faced and Kyle Leahy got out of the eighth but ran out of gas in the ninth, giving up four runs before Gordon Graceffo got the final two outs.
The Cardinals lost for the sixth time in their last seven games.
Here is how Monday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals trailed 3-1 before their sixth-inning rally, which began with two outs and nobody on base. Brendan Donovan singled and Ivan Herrera was hit by a pitch before Alec Burleson doubled in two runs and Willson Contreras’ RBI single gave the Cardinals the lead … They tied the game at 6 with two runs in the seventh. Nolan Arenado led off with a double, Thomas Saggese singled and with two outs, Donovan and Herrera both singled in runs … Arenado, in his first game since July 30, also had an RBI single in his first at-bat in the second.
On the mound: Matthew Liberatore allowed three runs over six innings, one of them unearned because of a fielding error by Victor Scott II. He walked one and struck out six … The relievers combined to allow nine hits and four walks, three of which scored. The big blow in the ninth was a bases-loaded double by Tyler Stephenson off of Leahy.
Key stat: With the game tied at 6 in the seventh, the Cardinals had the bases loaded with Contreras due up but he was pulled because of right biceps tightness. Nolan Gorman pinch hit and grounded to second to end the inning.
Worth noting: Manager Oli Marmol said the Cardinals intend to play Arenado in all of the final 12 games of the season. “I look forward to seeing him compete again,” Marmol said… Arenado’s return means that Gorman likely will be limited to pinch-hitting or perhaps a DH appearance over the final two weeks of the season … Jose Fermin was optioned to Memphis again to make room for Arenado on the active roster. Fermin also was optioned on Friday when Donovan came off the IL but came back on Saturday when Masyn Winn went on the list … Donovan was named Monday as the Cardinals’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente award presented by MLB.
Up next: Michael McGreevy will get the start on Tuesday night in the second game of the series.
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Oliver Marmol
