Friday’s Game Report: Cardinals 3, Red Sox 2
By Rob Rains
Dustin May knew he needed to pitch better than he had in his first two starts for the Cardinals, and there was no better time to do it than against his former team.
May, who allowed a combined 13 runs on 17 hits in 7 1/3 innings in his first two starts of the season, bounced back in a big way to pitch the Cardinals to a win over the Red Sox on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.
May allowed only four hits and two runs over six innings and got perfect relief from the bullpen to protect the one-run lead over the final three innings.
Only one of the runs off May was earned. He did not walk a batter and struck out four in needing only 75 pitches in his six-inning outing.
Here is how Friday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals picked up another comeback win by rallying from a 2-1 deficit with two runs in the fifth. Thomas Saggese, who didn’t start the game on his 24th birthday, delivered an RBI single that tied the game before Jose Fermin broke the tie with a sacrifice fly … The first Cardinals run scored in the second when Ramon Urias led off the inning with a double and later came home on Victor Scott II’s sacrifice fly … Jordan Walker had two more hits, both singles, and scored a run … JJ Wetherholt drew a pair of walks and has now reached base in all 12 of his starts … Ivan Herrera struck out three times after a first-inning single.
On the mound: Both Boston runs off May came in the fourth inning, when the Red Sox took advantage of a throwing error by Wetherholt and also pulled off a double steal, with Trevor Story stealing home … May retired the final seven batters he faced before turning the game over to the bullpen. Ryne Stanek retired the side in order in the seventh, but JoJo Romero had to pitch around a leadoff double in the eighth, getting out of the inning when Willson Contreras flied out to the center field wall … It took Riley O’Brien only eight pitches in the ninth to retire the side in order and earn his fourth save.
Key stat: The double by Urias was his fifth extra-base hit of the season in just his 21st at-bat, the second highest total on the team behind Walker’s seven in 48 at-bats. Urias has more doubles, three, and homers, two, than he has singles, one.
Worth noting: Saggese came into the game to play shortstop two innings after Masyn Winn was hit by a pitch in his left leg … The Cardinals are now 4-0 in one-run games, three of those wins coming in extra innings … Friday’s game came on the 20th anniversary of the first game at Busch Stadium 3, when the Cardinals defeated Milwaukee 6-4.
Up next: Kyle Leahy will get the start in Saturday night’s 6:15 p.m. game, which will be televised by Fox.
Follow Rob Rains on X @RobRains
