PHOENIX — The big inning proved the Cardinals' downfall once again as they dropped the series finale to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. A five-run inning put the Cardinals in a hole they couldn’t dig out of as they dropped the final two games of their three-game set.
Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas allowed five runs on four hits and two walks in 4⅔ innings in a 5-0 loss to the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mikolas also struck out three batters. All five of the runs scored against him came in the pivotal fifth inning. Three scored after he’d exited the game, but the runners were his responsibility.
The Cardinals (7-9) were shut out for the first time this season. They had just four hits, with all four coming against Diamondbacks starting pitcher and former Cardinals prospect Zac Gallen. Gallen struck out seven in six innings.
The Diamondbacks scored 14 of their 15 runs in the series in three innings. A six-run inning in the series opener provided all of their scoring in that contest, while they scored three of their four runs in the sixth inning on Saturday night. That led into their five-run fifth in the finale.
Mikolas (1-2) threw 29 pitches and faced seven batters in the fifth inning. Both walks he issued also came in that frame.
The Cardinals (7-9) entered the day having gone 5-1 this season in games when relief pitchers pitched at least four innings. Because the Diamondbacks didn’t have to bat in the bottom of the ninth, Cardinals relievers accounted for 3⅓ innings after Mikolas left the game.
2 catchers, 1 lineup
Cardinals rookie catcher Ivan Herrera started at catcher, and normal starting catcher Willson Contreras served as the designated hitter on Sunday.
The Cardinals came into the day leading all of the majors in home runs by catchers. Contreras (two) and Herrera (three) combined for five home runs, and they’d also produced the second-best slugging percentage (.536) and the second-most runs scored (10).
Cardinals catchers had hit safely in 11 of 15 games entering the day.
Herrera went 1 for 3, and Contreras went 1 for 4. Contreras extended his on-base streak to a career-best 20 consecutive games.
The Diamondbacks successfully stole a pair of bases against the Cardinals on Sunday. The Cardinals have now allowed 13 runners to steal without a runner thrown out this season, including 10 with Herrera behind the plate.
Cardinals still big hit away
The Cardinals had just one hit in their first seven at-bats with runners in scoring position on Sunday. The one hit, a single by Herrera, loaded the bases with one out in the second inning.
Leading up to Herrera’s line-drive single to right field, Nolan Arenado belted a leadoff double and Lars Nootbaar drew a one-out walk to put two men on with one out. Herrera’s single loaded the bases.
However, Brandon Crawford struck out looking and left the task to backup outfielder Michael Siani with two outs and the bases loaded. Siani put the ball in play, but his grounder to first base ended the inning and left three men on base.
In the fourth inning, designated hitter Contreras doubled and advanced to third base on a soft Nootbaar grounder to third base. With one out and a runner on third, Herrera struck out swinging, and Crawford popped up to second base to end the inning.
This came on the heels of the Cardinals having left nine men on base on Saturday night.
Diamondbacks chase Mikolas in 5th
Mikolas had allowed just one hit entering the fifth inning, but the Diamondbacks collected three hits against Mikolas in the fifth, including back-to-back hits to start the inning.
Christian Walker, who entered the day having hits in five of his last seven games, started the frame with a single lined to right field. Then Joc Pederson chopped a double down the first base line and just past Paul Goldschmidt’s diving attempt to make highlight reel-worthy snag.
Once the ball got past Goldschmidt, it got into the right field corner and put runners on second and third. Jace Peterson’s sacrifice fly gave the Diamondbacks the game’s first run.
Jake McCarthy followed with a double to right field that drove in Pederson for the second run of the inning.
Mikolas got Blaze Alexander to hit a grounder to first base for the second out of the inning, but back-to-back walks followed and marked the end of Mikolas’ outing.
Reliever Andre Pallante entered with the bases loaded and gave up a two-run single to Corbin Carroll. Ketel Marte scored from third on a wild pitch by Pallante. That gave the Diamondbacks their five-run inning.