Saturday’s Game Report: Blue Jays 5, Cardinals 1
By Rob Rains
Quinn Mathews pitched well in his major-league debut on Saturday but didn’t get much help from the Cardinals’ offense.
Mathews allowed two runs over five-plus innings but left the game trailing 2-1 and the Cardinals went on to lose to the Blue Jays for the second day in a row in Toronto.
The Cardinals have lost six of their last seven games and have scored three runs or less in all seven games.
Mathews scattered six hits, walked three and struck out three. The leadoff hitter reached base in each of the first four innings, but Mathews was able to pitch through the traffic, stranding six runners on base.
Here is how Saturday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals had 11 hits but were just 1-of-9 with a runner in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. They are a combined 2-of-19 with a runner on second or third in the first two games of the series … Their only hit with a runner in scoring position on Saturday was an RBI double by Masyn Winn in the fifth, after Ivan Herrera led off the inning with a double … Jordan Walker, Alec Burleson and Blaze Jordan each had a two-hit day.
On the mound: Mathews gave up an RBI single to George Springer in the third but then got out of a bases-loaded jam. The second Toronto run scored in the fourth when a single and double put runners on second and third with no outs, but Mathews gave up a sacrifice fly and then got out of the inning … The three runs in the seventh came off Luis Gastelum and Peter Strzelecki, who allowed two inherited runners to score.
Key stat: After giving up the three runs in the seventh, the Cardinals have been outscored 17-5 from the seventh inning on in their last seven games, losing six of them.
Worth noting: To open a spot on the active roster for Mathews, Matt Svanson was optioned to Memphis. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, Tink Hence was designated for assignment. Hence, 23, has been a top prospect but has struggled to stay healthy. He has been used infrequently this season at Memphis, out of the bullpen. The Cardinals can now attempt to trade Hence before Monday’s trading deadline or see if he will clear waivers or be claimed by another team.
Up next: The Cardinals will send Matthew Liberatore to the mound on Sunday as they try to avoid being swept in the three-game series. St. Louis native Max Scherzer is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays.
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