Wednesday’s Game Report: Cardinals 5, Rangers 3
By Rob Rains
Coming into Wednesday night’s game, there were two parts of Alec Burleson’s performance at the plate this season which were in conflict with one another.
With a lefthander, MacKenzie Gore, starting for the Rangers, Burleson was dropped down to fifth in the Cardinals batting order because of his .200 average against lefthanders this season.
Burleson also, however, is one of the few Cardinals who has hit well with runners in scoring position, and was leading the team with a .338 average in those situations.
So naturally, Burleson’s first two at-bats in the game came with runners on either second or third – and his success in those situations overrode his poor average against lefthanders.
Burleson’s two hits drove in a combined three runs, sending the Cardinals to the win over the Rangers that allowed them to avoid being swept in the three-game series at Busch Stadium.
His first-inning single drove in the first run of the night and he followed that up with a two-run double in the third as the Cardinals built an early 3-1 lead en route to the victory.
Here is how Wednesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Jordan Walker has three hits, scored three runs and also stole a base, his team-leading eighth of the season … The Cardinals’ other RBIs came on a double from Nelson Velazquez, worked as the DH, and a triple from Thomas Saggese, starting at second base in place of a resting JJ Wetherholt. The hit drove in Jose Fermin, who had reached on a double … The Cardinals finished with four hits in 13 at-bats with a runner in scoring position.
On the mound: Andre Pallante worked into the sixth inning, allowing one run on three hits as he picked up his team-leading sixth win of the season … JoJo Romero stranded two inherited runners in the sixth but then allowed two runs in the seventh on a leadoff double, a walk and a triple by Joc Pederson … One night afterlosing the game in the ninth inning, Riley O’Brien was back pitching in the ninth and worked around a leadoff walk to earn his 15th save after Pederson flew out to the warning track in center for the second out, just missing a game-tying home run.
Key stat: Walker’s three-hit night came after he had been just 2-of-20 in the first five games of the homestand. Over his previous eight games he was 5-of-31 with 10 strikeouts.
Worth noting: Wetherholt is expected back in the lineup on Friday night … Also expected to be in that lineup is Lars Nootbaar, who played the final game on his rehab assignment on Wednesday in Memphis. He homered as part of a two-hit, four-RBI day. The Cardinals will have to make a roster move before the game to open a spot for Nootbaar, who will be making his season-debut … Also at Memphis, Joshua Baez hit his 17th home run of the season … Reliever Matt Pushard cleared waivers on Wednesday and was returned to the Miami Marlins. The Cardinals had selected Pushard in the Rule 5 draft but he spent much of his time in St. Louis on the injured list and had been designated for assignment on Sunday … Online balloting opened on Wednesday for next month’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
Up next: After Thursday’s day off, the Cardinals on Friday will begin a three-games series against the Reds at Busch Stadium. Kyle Leahy is the scheduled starter.
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