If the St. Louis Cardinals are going to make a playoff push, it has to start in San Francisco. That’s why Monday’s game against the Giants was so vital. It didn’t start well for Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy as the Giants grabbed an early lead. Cardinals bats would eventually claw their way all the way back by the 9th inning, but it wasn’t quite enough to secure a crucial victory.
There are few batters in baseball more on a tear than Rafael Devers of the Giants. After Turner Hill walked to leadoff the bottom of the 1st inning, Devers turned on an 84 mph Michael McGreevy curve and drove it off the huge wall in right for a RBI double and a 1-0 San Francisco lead.
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The Giants added to their lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning when Christian Koss reached on an infield single that glanced off of McGreevy’s glove and then advanced to second after Michael flipped the ball over Burleson at first. Koss advanced to third on a groundout by Hill and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryce Eldredge to double the San Francisco lead to 2-0.
Rafael Devers would kickstart a two-out rally in the bottom of the 5th inning when he smoked another double. Bryce Eldredge followed that with a double that scored Devers giving the Giants a 3-0 lead.
The St. Louis Cardinals didn’t get their first hit off of Giants starter Logan Webb until the top of the 3rd inning. They didn’t get their first run of the game until the top of the 6th inning, but it was a dramatic one. Alec Burleson gave a 92 mph sinker a bath as he launched it 431 feet into the bay cutting into the San Francisco lead making it 3-1.
The Cardinals shrunk the Giants lead even more in the top of the 7th inning after Nolan Gorman drew a walk. Three batters later, Nathan Church ripped a RBI double into the right field corner scoring Gorman leaving the Giants with just a one-run lead at 3-2.
Michael McGreevy went deep into the game even starting the bottom of the 7th inning. He gave the Cardinals 6 2/3 innings allowing 2 earned runs, while striking out 4 and walking 2. Justin Bruihl came in to get the final out of the bottom of the 7th which resulted in a hilarious sequence where Hill grounded out to second on a play where Alec Burleson had to drag his foot across the base as the throw pulled him off. The national announcing team (not including one of our all-time favorite people Albert Pujols) all but gave the Giants the overturn even before the manager’s challenge, but they were foiled when the out call on the field was upheld.
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The Cardinals would strive to turn that failed challenge into momentum in the top of the 8th inning when Ivan Herrera led off with a single. Manager Oli Marmol sent Victor Scott II in to pinch-run for Herrera. Alec Burleson lifted a deep flyball to center that VSII somehow decided to not tag up on staying at first for the first out. That would turn into a pivotal decision after Jordan Walker singled giving the Cardinals runners at first and second with just one out. Leo Bernal grounded into a fielder’s choice that the Giants couldn’t turn into a double play. Nolan Gorman then flew out to very deep center to end the inning. Hard not to imagine what might have happened if Victor had tagged on the initial flyball and advanced to second. Oh, well. Baseball is not a sport for perfectionists.
Justin Bruihl handled the Giants in the bottom of the 8th inning also which kept the Cardinals within striking distance going into the 9th inning. Joshua Baez had the first shot for St. Louis. He reached on an infield single to give the Cardinals the tying run on base. Thomas Saggese was next up for St. Louis. He hit a laser single up the middle that glanced off of the second baseman’s glove giving the Cardinals runners at first and second with no one out. Nathan Church tried to bunt them over, but instead popped it up to the third baseman. St. Louis was fortunate that it didn’t turn into a double play. Bryan Torres worked Giants reliever Dylan Smith into a full count, fouled off several pitches and eventually drew a walk to load the bases. Brilliant. Pinch-hitter José Fermín was sent up with an opportunity to turn the game around. He lifted a fly ball to left field which was deep enough to score Baez from third tying the game at 3-3. The Giants went to their bullpen bringing in Sanmartin to face Alec Burleson who was already for one baseball getting a bath earlier in the game. Unfortunately, he struck out sending the game into the bottom of the 9th inning tied.
The bottom of the 9th inning would be handled by Ryne Stanek. Lee led off the bottom of the 9th with a chopper that just bounced over the head of Nolan Gorman at third to give the Giants the potential winning run on base. Drew Gilbert was next up for San Francisco. He popped out to Saggese at short for the first out. Drew Cavanaugh struck out on high heat from Stanek for the second out. The Giants weren’t done though as Whitcomb ripped a single into left moving the potential winning run up to second base. Christian Koss was the next Giant up as he worked Stanek into a full count fouling off a couple of high fastballs before drawing a walk to load the bases. Turner Hill would either win the game or the game would go to extras. For all of us that love the Cardinals, it was that second option as Hill hit a harmless flyball to Jordan Walker in right to end the Giants 9th.
The St. Louis Cardinals 10th would begin with Alec Burleson as the “free” runner at second base and Jordan Walker at the plate. He did his job and moved Burleson to third with a ground ball up the middle that the Giants nearly flubbed when the throw to first nearly pulled Eldredge off the base. Leo Bernal was next for St. Louis and he lifted a bloop single to center that dropped in between three Giants players scoring Burleson and giving the Cardinals their first lead of the game at 4-3. That’s all they would get after Nolan Gorman and Joshua Baez popped out to end the top of the 10th.
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Could Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien hold the Giants scoreless in the bottom of the 10th? He chose to not walk Rafael Devers at least initially. Once the count reached 2-1, the intentional walk was engaged. That brought up Bryce Eldredge. He promptly smacked a single into center driving in “free” runner Hill and tying the game 4-4. Cox laid down the perfect sacrifice bunt giving the Giants the potential winning run at third base with just one out. Jung Hoo Lee was intentionally walked to load the bases giving the Cardinals a force out at any base. In a borderline miraculous play, Leo Bernal grabbed a ball dribbled by Gilbert in front of home plate, stepping on home plate simultaneously and then throwing out Gilbert at first for an inning-ending double play.
The Cardinals top of the 11th would begin with Joshua Baez as the “free” runner at 2nd and Thomas Saggese at the plate. He lifted a flyball to center deep enough to move Baez over to third with one out. Nathan Church was next and all he could manage was a dribbler in front of the plate that did not score Baez for the second out. Cesar Prieto was then sent up to bat for the pitcher since they gave up their DH earlier in the game in a different pinch-hit situation. He drew a four-pitch walk out of Giants reliever Foley. That brought up José Fermín in a make-or-break situation for St. Louis. He quickly went down two strikes before working the count to 2-2 while fouling off pitches. He eventually shattered his bat on a groundball to short for the final out of the Cardinals 11th without scoring a run.
George Soriano would have to find a way to keep the Giants from scoring in the bottom of the 11th inning with a free runner starting the inning at second. Drew Cavanaugh was the first batter up and he laid down an ideal sacrifice bunt moving free runner Furman to third. Shay Whitcomb was the next Giant with a chance to end the game. He sadly did with a high chopper over the drawn-in infield giving the Giants a painful 5-4 victory.
The St. Louis Cardinals return to Oracle Park Tuesday night for game 2 against the San Francisco Giants. Quinn Mathews gets the start for the Cardinals while Landen Roupp gets the ball for the Giants. First pitch is scheduled for 8:45pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
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