After getting shutout the past two days by the Cubs, the Cardinals (45-38) returned the favor against the Cleveland Guardians (40-40) 5-0 thanks to Sonny Gray pitching arguably the best game of this 2025 MLB season.<\/p>\n
Gray went the distance Friday night, limiting Cleveland to just one hit while striking out 11 and needing only 89 pitches to get the job done. Gray was perfect for the first 4 and 2\u20443 before Nolan Jones rocketed a two-strike single between Wilson Contreras and Brendon Donovan. It\u2019s the first complete game for Gray in nearly a full decade (August 7, 2015 against Houston per John Denton). What\u2019s more, Gray is the first pitcher in MLB history to pull off this final line: nine innings, one hit, no walks, no runs, 11+ strikeouts, in less than 90 pitches.<\/p>\n
Of course pitching a shutout wouldn\u2019t have done Gray any good if his own offense couldn\u2019t pick him up, and after 24 consecutive scoreless innings, the Cards finally got on the board.<\/p>\n
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Leading off the third inning, Pedro Pag\u00e9s hit his hardest ball of the season (111.7 MPH per Statcast) en route to his sixth home run of the season to put St. Louis up 1-0.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019re here to watch,\u201d indeed, J.K. Simmons!<\/p>\n
St. Louis tacked on two more in the inning when Alec Burleson took Ortiz deep for a two-run shot to right field.<\/p>\n
On this night, three runs was more than enough for Gray who posted 1-2-3 inning after 1-2-3 inning. Gray ended up pitching the first Cardinals Maddux since Jordan Montgomery did it against the Cubs in 2022; while any and all Maddux games are special, Gray\u2019s outing was particularly noteworthy.<\/p>\n
Even though Gray didn\u2019t need it, Nolan Arenado gave him two more extra runs to support the cause.<\/p>\n
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In the sixth, Nado hit a run-scoring double and just listen to how sweet the crack of the bat sounded here.<\/p>\n
Nolan came through again in the eighth inning with a single to left field that scored Willson Contreras.<\/p>\n
If it hadn\u2019t been for Gray, Arenado would probably have been the player of the game, going 2-4 with a double two RBI at the plate. But Nolan seems like a good dude, so I\u2019m sure he doesn\u2019t mind Gray getting the spotlight for what\u2019s probably the best game he\u2019s ever thrown in his life.<\/p>\n
St. Louis and Cleveland will be back at it tomorrow afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 3:10. Miles Mikolas is set to face Slade Cecconi. I\u2019m going to go out on a limb and say if Mikolas pitches another game like tonight, St. Louis has at least a 50\/50 chance of winning. I might even go as high as 60\/40.<\/p>\n
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