Bernie’s Redbird Review: The Cardinals Win Two In A Row Against The Giants; Trying To Raise The Titanic!

 

Welcome To The Redbird Review 

I’m your host, B.J. Miklasz Jr. 

THE STIRRING: Lo and behold, the Cardinals have roused themselves from their slumberous existence to go into San Francisco and wrest victories of 5-3 and 6-5 from the Giants. This isn’t like slapping a skeletal, borderline minor-league Arizona team around; even after two losses to the Cardinals the Giants own the best winning percentage (.624) in the majors. 

The Cards have already claimed the three-game series. Hours from now, they will attempt to complete a Bay Area dunking by winning their third in a row. 

In rising up to capture this set in San Francisco, the Cardinals have deviated from their sad-sack pattern. 

— This is their first triumph over a team that currently has a winning record since going to Milwaukee to win two of three from May 12-14. 

— The Cards hadn’t posted consecutive victories against a winning opponent since downing the NY Mets on May 3 and, after a rainout, the first game of a doubleheader on May 5. 

— And the Cardinals have scored 5+ runs in consecutive games for the first time since beating Cleveland 8-2 on June 9 in St. Louis and, after an off day, losing 8-5 to the Cubs in the series opener at Wrigley Field on June 11. If the Cardinals can score five runs against the Giants in Wednesday’s series wrap, it will be their first streak of three consecutive 5+ runs games since winning the first three games at Arizona in a four-game set that began May 27. 

All of this is good. Winning works for me. I don’t like bad baseball. And I really dislike unhappy baseball seasons in St. Louis. And I deplore fake praise being dispensed when a team isn’t playing well, or playing hard, or failing to win games. I’m pleased to praise the Cardinals when they provide praise-worthy content. If they’re serious about raising this Titanic, I’m all for it. 

THE RESET: In a stretch that commenced with last week’s Arizona series at Busch Stadium, Cardinals (43-44) are 6-3 in their last nine games. In winning six of nine Cards pitchers have a 3.25 ERA, and the offense has averaged 4.8 runs per game with a .747 OPS. The improvement has been noted. 

With Milwaukee getting rained out in New York Tuesday — they’ll play two seven-inning specials against the Mets today — the Cards picked up a half-game in the standings and trail the Brewers by 8.5 games. 

With the Cubs losing their 11th consecutive game Tuesday — a 15-10 beatdown by Philadelphia — the Cards have moved up a notch in the NL Central, a half-game ahead of the 42-44 Wrigleys. The Cubs have been plundered for 28 runs in two straight losses to the Phillies. “I definitely didn’t see this coming,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “This is kind of out of nowhere with this group.”

More positivity: After winning five in a row to sort of emerge as a threat to Milwaukee, the second-place Reds had another bullpen implosion Tuesday, cracking into pieces after taking a 6-1 lead, with the proud Kansas City Mathenys rallying for a 7-6 coup. With that Royal assist, the Cardinals trail the second-place Reds (44-41) by two games. 

THE BIG GUYS DELIVERED: The 2-3-4 hitters led the charge in Tuesday’s 6-5 win. Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and Yadier Molina combined for 8 hits in 15 at-bats, with five RBI and three runs scored. Arenado got the Cardinals wired with a two-run homer in the first inning, a blow that followed a Goldy single.

Goldschmidt matched Arenado’s two RBIs. It hasn’t happened as much as I would have guessed, but when Goldy and Arenado both drive in at least one run in the same game, the Cardinals are 11-1.

NOTES ON A SCORECARD: After being shut out for the first six innings of Monday’s game, the Cardinals have scored at least a run in seven of the last 12 innings. Seven of their 11 runs in the first two games were scored after the sixth inning … in their last nine games the Cardinals are 26 for 71 with runners in scoring position, a .366 average. Their hits with RISP during this stretch include four homers, two doubles, two triples …

AFTER THE BIG MEETING: Since having their publicized hitting-approach meeting on June 24, a span of 13 games, the Cardinals are batting .241 (up), getting onbase 32 percent of the time (up), slugging .389 (up) and have a .705 OPS (up.) They’ve improved their two-strike hitting during the 13-game sample (.236 average) and have a .306 average with runners in scoring position. But as is the case with all performance, sustaining the success is the real test. 

YADIER MOLINA, CLUTCH: Since returning from the IL on May 8, Molina is hitting .205 when he comes to the plate with no runners in scoring position. But when Yadier has taken at-bats with runners in scoring position since May 8, his batting average is .313.

Since the start of June, the Molina transformation with runners in scoring position is even more profound. He’s batting .169 with no RISP, and .333 with RISP. 

Molina is consistently reliable when provided with an opportunity to drive in runs. Here’s his batting average with RISP for each month of the 2021 season. To the right, you’ll see the corresponding monthly batting average when Yadier bats with no runners in scoring position: 

• April,  .333
• May,  .276
• June,  .286
• July,  .444

For the season Molina is 18 for 57 with runners in scoring position; that .316 average leads the Cardinals. His average is .241 in 178 at-bats without RISP. 

And this is for those of us that don’t understand why Shildt bats Molina 4th or 5th in the lineup: with runners in scoring position this season Yadi is 13 for 38 (.342) with 18 RBI batting at the No. 4 or No. 5 spot. 

Molina’s 39 RBI this season lead all NL catchers and are third in the majors behind KC’s Salvador Perez (51) and Oakland’s Sean Murphy (40.) 

Molina will celebrate birthday No. 39 next Tuesday. 

EDMUNDO SOSA, PLAYMAKER: The young infielder turned in another impressive performance in the 6-5 win Tuesday. Starting for the 11th time this season at second base, Sosa had zinged the Giants with three hits, including a solo homer, and scored twice. His eighth-inning home run gave the Cardinals a 6-3 lead, and they needed it to hold on for a one-run win.

 Sosa made a couple of outstanding plays defensively, and that’s become the norm. Because of his above-average range, Fielding Bible estimates Sosa has saved eight plays — seven at shortstop and one at second base. (Basically this means he got to eight more balls than he should have.) He’s been credited with four defensive runs saved overall.

Sosa made a lot of good things happen Tuesday to energize the Cardinals — in the field, and at the plate. He’s a playmaker. 

Sosa has started 38 games this season, most at shortstop (21 times.) As a starter Sosa is hitting .286 with a .357 onbase percentage and .381 slug for a .738 OPS. He’s also done well against RH pitching, batting .279 with a .350 OPB in 125 plate appearances. 

ADAM WAINWRIGHT, WINNER: After throwing 110 pitches and giving up two runs in eight innings Thursday at Colorado, Waino faced a difficult assignment against the Giants last night. He labored through five hard innings, taking on 26 batters with a malfunctioning fastball. But Wainwright deserves respect after limiting the damage to three runs despite the Giants getting to him for seven hits and four walks. This is what mental toughness looks like. 

In his last seven starts Wainwright has a swell 2.74 ERA over 46 innings, allowing a modest .219 batting average and .604 OPS. The Cardinals are 13-20 since the start of June. During that time they are 5-2 when Wainwright starts — and 8-18 in games started by others. 

GO HARRY GO: In his first six games back from the IL, center fielder Harrison Bader has two homers, seven RBI, a .542 slugging percentage and .822 OPS. He’s pounding non-fastballs, which is a welcome change.

Thank you for reading … 

–Bernie 

Check out Bernie’s sports-talk show on 590-AM The Fan, KFNS. It airs Monday through Thursday from 3-6 p.m. and Friday from 4-6 p.m. You can listen live online and download the Bernie Show podcast at 590thefan.com  … the 590 app works great and is available in your preferred app store.

The weekly “Seeing Red” podcast with Bernie and Will Leitch is also available at 590thefan.com.

 Follow Bernie on Twitter @miklasz