Top of the 1st:
The Tigers step up to the plate, but the forecast calls for a quick cooldown for their offense. Kerry Carpenter grounds out—first to pitcher, that’s one gone. Gleyber Torres sends one to right, but Alec Burleson is there to make it rain on that parade, two outs. Colt Keith grounds out to second, and just like a sudden shower, the Tigers are gone in a flash.
Bottom of the 1st:
Here come the Cardinals, and the bats are heating up again! Lars Nootbaar rips a double to center—10th of the season, showing off some real sizzle. Masyn Winn singles to left, moving Nootbaar to third. But wait! Winn gets caught stealing second—Dingler to Sweeney, one out. Brendan Donovan drives in Nootbaar with a single to left, and just like that, St. Louis is first on the board: 1-0 Cardinals!
Pitching change for Detroit—Keider Montero’s in. I guess the Tigers employed what they call an Opener. Contreras goes down looking, two outs. Iván Herrera pops out to short, and the inning closes with the Cards holding the lead.
Top of the 2nd:
Riley Greene starts with a single, but Spencer Torkelson whiffs—and Greene is caught stealing! Double play, skies clear fast. Zach McKinstry strikes out swinging, inning over.
Bottom of the 2nd:
Arenado flies out, Burleson draws a walk, but Pedro Pagés can’t connect—two outs. Victor Scott II doubles, sending Burleson to third, but Nootbaar flies out to center—no runs, but the pressure’s building.
Top of the 3rd:
Sweeney grounds out to second. Dingler launches a double to right—now that’s a dingy swing! Akil Baddoo and Kerry Carpenter both go down swinging. The wind’s out of the Tigers’ sails.
Bottom of the 3rd:
Winn flies out, Donovan follows suit, and Contreras grounds out to third. Not much precipitation there.
Top of the 4th:
Torres pops out to first, Keith flies out to left in foul territory, and Greene strikes out swinging. Storm system moving through—nothing doing for Detroit.
Bottom of the 4th:
Herrera singles to left, but Arenado flies out. Burleson singles, Herrera to third, then wild pitch! Herrera scores, Burleson to second—2-0 Cardinals. Pagés grounds out, Scott lines out, and the skies are all red.
Top of the 5th:
Torkelson flies out to center. McKinstry singles to left, but Sweeney and Dingler both strike out—still no Tigers thunder.
Bottom of the 5th:
Nootbaar, Winn, and Donovan go back-to-back-to-back with singles. Bases loaded! Contreras grounds out, but Nootbaar scores. Winn moves to third, Donovan to second. Cards up 3-0.
Next, Herrera reaches on a fielder’s choice—Winn scores, 4-0. Arenado grounds into a force—Donovan scores, 5-0 Cards. But Montero picks off Arenado at first to clear the inning.
Top of the 6th:
Baddoo and Carpenter both strike out, then Torres walks. Keith strikes out too—Tigers caught in a cold front.
Bottom of the 6th:
Burleson doubles to center. Pagés grounds out. Scott walks. Nootbaar strikes out swinging—Montero brings the heat. Winn grounds into a force, inning over.
Top of the 7th:
Walker takes over in right, Romero in to pitch. Greene strikes out swinging, but Torkelson singles. Ibáñez pinch-hits and grounds into a double play—Arenado to Donovan to Contreras. Nothing brewing for Detroit.
Bottom of the 7th:
Ibáñez stays at third. Donovan doubles to right. Here comes the weather—game delays for inclement conditions, but soon we’re back in action with Brebbia pitching for Detroit.
Contreras singles, Donovan to third. Herrera singles, Donovan scores—6-0. Arenado pops out, but Walker doubles to center, clearing the bases—8-0 Cards!
Pagés hammers a two-run homer to left—make it 10-0. Scott singles, advances to third on an error, Nootbaar sends him home on a sac fly—11-0. Winn gets hit by a pitch, but Donovan grounds into a force to end the inning. The Cardinals are pouring it on!
Top of the 8th:
Gorman and Barrero sub in. King takes the mound. Sweeney and Dingler single, Baddoo doubles them up—Tigers finally on the board, 11-1. Carpenter grounds out, injury delay, then Torres strikes out and Keith grounds out. Tigers get a ray of sunshine but clouds return quickly.
Bottom of the 8th:
This is where the game started to get a little absurd with rain falling down in stead big drops, soaking everyone on the field. Malloy replaces Greene in center, Position player Nido in to pitch in the rain. Baddoo moves to center. Gorman flies out, Herrera pops out, Barrero grounds out. Quick and breezy, easy peasy. The Cardinals players wanted the game over and so did most everyone.
Top of the 9th:
But somehow the umps just would not call it! The game was played to its fruition. Pozo and Gorman switch up the infield, Graceffo pitching. Malloy reaches on an error, Torkelson walks. Ibáñez doubles—Malloy scores, Torkelson to third.
Sweeney hits a sac fly—Torkelson scores. Dingler grounds out, Ibáñez scores. Baddoo grounds out to second.
Graceffo shuts the door, eventually, and that’s the game!
Final:
Cardinals 11
Tigers 4
The Cardinals really controlled this one from start to finish, scoring the first run and never looking back (but probably moreso looking up a the clouds and thunder and lightning when they weren’t actually making their own).
This offense! Just wow. I think many of us are still surprised at how good it can seem at times. Run Differential +45 now. Cubs at +69 and Reds at +36. Reds appear to be better than the Brewers this year and I think it will continue (albeit they are actually only 1.5 ahead of Milwaukee).
Sonny Gray is my player of the game for this one: 10 K in 6 IP, only 3 hits and a walk! Gray is an ace at home in 2025.
Cardinals knock around 16 hits, 7 different players with RBI, only 3 strikeouts against them!
The top of the order went 7 for 13 with 5 runs scored. Nootbaar, Winn, Donovan! Not a bad way to start a game apparently.
Jordan Walker had a double off the wall in late innings and notched 2 RBI while extended his hitting streak to 4 games.
Pedro Pages hit a 2 run moonshot!
Herrera again made his presence felt with a 2 for 5 day, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored! He was moved up to 5th in the lineup and should probably be batting 4th.
Burleson all over the bases 2 for 2 with a walk! That OBP!
Nootbaar now at 122 wRC+ (.281 BABIP), Winn 123 (.323 BABIP), Donovan 145!
Herrera over 250 wRC+ !
Bullpen: 7th inning vintage (good) JoJo Romero (is he going to be good again?), 8th inning John King looked eminently hittable and also a little wild, and then poor Graceffo got stuck throwing in a downpour and eventually roughed his way through an unnecessary 9th inning.
Different style of ump tonight, more generous but also more accurate than most of my recaps so far.
The Cubs lost a close game to the Marlins today and so the Cardinals are back to within one game of the Chicago Northsiders. The Cardinals have won 8 out of their last 10 games. St Louis is now 6 games over .500 and are feeling like a demonstrably good baseball team at this moment.
Next up: another 6:45 game at home vs the Tigers! This will be the one we probably have the least chance of winning, but let’s win it anyway! Tigers in 3! The lefty Tarik Daniel Skubal who is even better this season than usual takes on Complete Gamer Erick Fedde on his home turf. Fedde actually has been pitching better away from home than at home, so maybe no home field advantage tomorrow, but maybe he will turn it around tomorrow night. He does seem to prefer night games at least going by his day night splits.