Cardinals Seek Improvement in Rematch Against Rockies
The St. Louis Cardinals had ample baserunners and hit several deep balls on Thursday but ultimately came up short, losing 3-2 to the Colorado Rockies in the first game of their seven-game homestand.
Despite creating numerous scoring opportunities, the Cardinals struggled with efficiency, going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranding 11 men on base. This defeat marked their fifth loss in the last seven games, and they aim to bounce back in the second game of the four-game series on Friday night.
During their recent nine-game road trip, the Cardinals hit 16 home runs, but their lineup underperformed in Thursday’s game. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol expressed frustration, stating, “You look at this, and we only scored two, and it feels like we should have done a much better job against them.”
Key players had near-miss moments: Paul Goldschmidt hit a fly ball to the center-field wall, Nolan Gorman reached the wall in left-center, Ivan Herrera had a deep fly to left, and Matt Carpenter’s potential home run was thwarted by outfielder Michael Toglia. Marmol reflected, “It’s a different game when those four opportunities didn’t go our way.”
On Friday, the Cardinals will rely on right-hander Lance Lynn (2-3, 3.23 ERA), who has been hindered by poor fielding from his teammates in his last three starts. Despite allowing eight runs (only one earned) on 10 hits and five walks over 16 innings, Lynn has managed to strike out 14 batters and reduce his ERA by nearly a full run. Historically, Lynn has performed well against the Rockies, boasting a 5-2 record and a 2.02 ERA in 10 career starts against them.
The Rockies, breaking a five-game losing streak with Thursday’s win, will counter with former Cardinal Austin Gomber (1-3, 3.06 ERA). Gomber struggled in his most recent outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing three runs on five hits, including two home runs, in three innings, leading to a 4-0 loss.
In May, Gomber excelled with a 0.68 ERA over four starts. However, after skipping a start to regain strength, he couldn’t replicate his form against the Dodgers. Reflecting on his performance, Gomber said, “Obviously, not as good of a rhythm as I was in with the longer layoff, but I felt good. I felt like I had the ability to make good pitches, and I didn’t make them today. For whatever reason — it may be the layoff, the lineup — whatever it was, they just beat me today. It’s hard to pinpoint one thing.”
Gomber’s career record against the Cardinals includes a 1-1 record with a 6.35 ERA in four appearances, two of which were starts. On the other hand, Lynn’s strong track record against the Rockies continues to be a key asset for St. Louis.
Ahead of the series, the Rockies placed slugger Kris Bryant on the 10-day injured list due to a left rib contusion, calling up Toglia, who made an immediate impact by driving in a run and making a crucial run-saving catch on Thursday. Rockies manager Bud Black commented on Bryant’s situation, “It’s been Kris’ hope to stay healthy and play — stay on the field. It’s been interrupted often. And there’s frustration because Kris wants to play. These different types of injuries have cropped up.”
Black remains hopeful for a swift recovery, saying, “I don’t have a crystal ball. But hopefully, this will resolve itself relatively quickly and get him back on the field, get him back on the active roster and, hopefully, get some momentum performance-wise, where we see the real Kris Bryant.”
As the Cardinals and Rockies face off again, both teams are eager to secure a win and overcome their recent struggles, with St. Louis aiming to capitalize on their scoring opportunities and Colorado hoping for consistent performances from their key players.
