Tuesday’s Game Report: Angels 5, Cardinals 1
By Rob Rains
After losing two consecutive games in the ninth inning, the Cardinals lost Tuesday night’s game in the first inning.
The Angels jumped on Matthew Liberatore for five runs in their first six batters and that was all of the offense they needed to beat the Cardinals for the second night in a row in Anaheim.
It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Cardinals after winning the first game on their six-game road trip beginning the second half of the season.
The Cardinals have only scored three runs in the first two games against the Angels, who have won only 41 games this season, tied with the Rockies for the fewest wins in the majors this season.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: All seven of the Cardinals’ hits were singles and their only run scored in the fifth. Blaze Jordan had an infield single, went to third on a single by Bryan Torres and scored on a fielder’s choice groundout by JJ Wetherholt … Alec Burleson had three of the seven hits … The team was 0-of-7 with a runner in scoring position.
On the mound: After allowing the five runs and five hits in the first inning, capped by Jo Adell’s two-run homer, Liberatore pitched into the sixth inning and only gave up four more hits, all singles. He struck out seven and walked two … Scott Blewett, who replaced the injured JoJo Romero on the roster, made his Cardinals debut and worked two scoreless innings, pitching around two walks in the seventh and a two-out double in the eighth.
Key stat: Liberatore has now allowed 16 earned runs in the first inning in his 20 starts this season, an ERA of 7.20. He has allowed five homers in the opening inning.
Worth noting: With Hunter Dobbins being recalled from Memphis to make the start on Wednesday, the Cardinals will have to make another roster move before the game … Dobbins’ start will push the rest of the rotation back a day … The Cardinals have signed 21 of their 23 picks from the amateur draft, all but their final two choices, both of whom have said they intend to return to college for another season … Peoria first baseman Jack Gurevitch hit three home runs on Tuesday night and teammate Tai Peete homered twice, with Gurevitch also hitting a double and Peete adding a triple as the top two hitters in the Peoria lineup combined for seven hits and nine RBIs.
Up next: The Cardinals will try to avoid being swept by the Angels in the final game of the three-game series on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:07 p.m. St. Louis time.
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