Sunday’s Game Report: Cardinals 5. Blue Jays 1
By Rob Rains
The Cardinals finally found a way to score more than three runs in a game – but it took some help from the Blue Jays defense to do it.
A throwing error by Luis Urias on what should have been the final out in the ninth inning led to three unearned runs in the Cardinals win on Sunday in Toronto.
It was the first time the Cardinals scored more than three runs in a game in the last week and the win let them avoid being swept in the three-game series.
Matthew Liberatore allowed just one infield hit over six shutout innings but lost his chance for a win when the Blue Jays tied the game in the eighth off the Cardinals’ bullpen.
In the ninth, a leadoff walk followed by singles by Bryan Torres and Jose Fermin regained the lead for the Cardinals before one run scored on the throwing error and Jordan Walker capped the inning with a two-run single.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals had only one hit off St. Louis native and future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer through the first four innings, but that hit was an RBI double by Lars Nootbaar, following a walk to Nathan Church … They failed to add to that lead, leaving two runners on in the sixth and two more in the eighth, before the Blue Jays tied the game … In the ninth, Masyn Winn drew a leadoff walk, went to third on a hit-and-run single by Torres and scored on Fermin’s single. After Church fouled out on a bunt attempt, Blaze Jordan hit into a fielder’s choice and Nootbaar hit a grounder to second with Urias uncorking a wild throw to first … Walker’s two-RBI single increased his season total to 81.
On the mound: The only hit Liberatore allowed came from Alejandro Kirk with one out in the second. He then retired 13 batters in a row before issuing a two-out walk in the sixth, then struck out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the third time in the game to end the inning. Liberatore was pulled after throwing 85 pitches … Ryne Stanek gave up a one-out triple to George Springer in the seventh but was able to strand him at third to protect the lead … That lead vanished in the eighth on an RBI double by Urias off George Soriano … Riley O’Brien worked the ninth in a non-save situation, allowing a leadoff single before retiring the next three batters.
Key stat: The Cardinals have only hit four home runs in their last 15 games, none in the three games in Toronto, in a span of 510 at-bats. Sunday’s win left them with a 4-11 record over that stretch.
Worth noting: The Cardinals have still not made a trade in advance of Monday’s deadline, which is 5 p.m. St. Louis time … JJ Wetherholt got the day off on Sunday, with Fermin playing second and Nootbaar moving into the leadoff spot … The win broke an eight-game losing streak against the Blue Jays that dated back to 2023 … The Blue Jays also did not hit a home run in the series, and Cardinals pitchers have not allowed a homer to the last 151 batters they have faced.
Up next: Michael McGreevy will get the start on Monday when the road trip continues with the first of three games against the Yankees in New York.
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