The Cardinals turned to power in their series-opening win. They utilized a bevy of hits, including a season-high four home runs to get to a double-digit run total as they scored early and often.
A win on Saturday night called for a different approach, and they answered the call yet again.
The Cardinals scored five eighth-inning runs without an extra-base hit to swing a tie game in their favor as they collected their fifth win in their past six games, a 7-2 series-clinching win against the Boston Red Sox in the second game of a three-game series in front of an announced crowd of 40,690 at Busch Stadium on Saturday night.
The first four batters of the eighth inning, Nolan Arenado, Alec Burleson, Ivan Herrera and Nolan Gorman singled to kick-start the game’s most pivotal frame. Herrera singled to left field through a drawn-in infield and that scored Arenado with the go-ahead run.
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Gorman’s RBI single scored Burleson with the first insurance run, and Masyn Winn’s sacrifice fly allowed Herrera to score from third. They scored three runs by the time Red Sox reliever Justin Slaten recorded the first out of the eighth.
The Cardinals (20-25) continued to tack on runs thanks to Lars Nootbaar’s single to right field and a two-base fielding error by outfielder Rob Refsnyder that allowed Gorman and Brendan Donovan to score.
Ten Cardinals batters registered at least one hit in the game, the most batters with a hit in a game for the club this season. For the second consecutive night, they matched their season high for hits in a game (14).
Gorman went 2 for 4 with a home run and two runs scored, while Burleson (2 for 4), Arenado (2 for 3) and Nootbaar (2 for 5) also enjoyed multi-hit games.
Winn extended his hitting streak to career-best 10 consecutive games.
The Cardinals broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning when Winn scored on a bases-loaded RBI groundout to first base by Nootbaar.
That slim lead did not provide enough operating room as the Red Sox (22-24) tied the score in the top of the eighth against Cardinals left-handed reliever JoJo Romero.
The major-league leader in holds with 15 entering the night, Romero gave up a two-out single to Jarren Duran followed by a pinch-hit RBI double by Refsnyder to left-center field.
Romero (1-0) held the Red Sox to one run, and that set up the eighth-inning rally started by Arenado.
Mikolas hands it off after the fifth
Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas became the 32nd pitcher in franchise history to make 150 starts with the Cardinals. He allowed one run on two hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out four, and proved fairly efficient after a 27-pitch first inning.
Through his first four innings, Mikolas allowed just one hit and it resulted in a run for the Red Sox. Red Sox star third baseman Rafael Devers belted a 1-2 curveball below the zone an estimated 431 feet to center field for a solo home run.
Devers’ blast, his second of the series, snapped a string of seven consecutive batters retired by Mikolas.
Mikolas made it through five innings having thrown 79 pitches, but left-handed reliever John King took over to start the sixth inning, a frame where the left-handed hitting Devers was due up third.
Mikolas recorded a quality start in his previous outing, a six-inning, 95-pitch outing against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 12.
King retired the side in order in sixth inning in relief of Mikolas.
Home run streak continues
Gorman’s second-inning home run moved him out of a tie with injured catcher Willson Contreras for the team lead in home runs. It also gave the Cardinals their sixth consecutive game with a home run, their longest such streak of the season.
The Cardinals last homered in six straight games during a stretch from Aug. 28-Sept. 6, 2023, when they homered in eight consecutively.
Gorman homered in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. In his previous six games entering Saturday night, Gorman went 6 for 19 with three extra-base hits (two home runs), six runs scored, five walks and 10 strikeouts for a slash line of .316/.458/.684.
The Cardinals put two men on with one out in the sixth inning when Nolan Arenado singled to center field and Alec Burleson bunted for a single.
Then Herrera struck out for the second out of the inning. With two outs and Gorman at the plate, Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino uncorked a pitch that went to the backstop. However, the ball caromed right back to Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, who threw to third base in time to catch Arenado attempting to advance. Arenado’s out at third base ended the inning.
Siani continues to get a starting nod
From the start of May through Friday night, center fielder Michael Siani batted .324 despite having gone 0 for 4 in the series-opening win against the Red Sox.
The left-handed hitting Siani entered the day batting .333 with a .391 on-base percentage against right-handed pitchers this season.
The former fourth-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds (2018) has become a regular in center field largely on the strength of his defense.
According to MLB Statcast data, Siani’s outfield jumps were the sixth-best among all major-league outfielders. He also ranked second among outfielders in the majors in outs above average behind Toronto’s Daulton Varsho.
Marmol described Siani’s jumps on fly balls as “outrageously good.â€
The outfield combination of Siani in center field flanked by Brendan Donovan and Lars Nootbaar has largely made Dylan Carlson the fourth outfielder since Carlson returned from the injured list on May 5. Carlson was set to be the starting center fielder out of spring training with Tommy Edman recovering slowly from offseason wrist surgery.
Carlson began the season on the IL due to a shoulder injury (sprained AC joint) suffered in the second-to-last exhibition game of the spring. He played in just four games in the minors during his rehab assignment, and he’s been slow to regain his timing at the plate. He snapped an 0-for-17 streak with a single on Tuesday in Anaheim.
“It’s hard to stay ready, but that’s what the situation calls for at the moment,†Marmol said of Carlson’s limited playing time in recent weeks.
Carlson pinch hit for Siani (1 for 1, walk) in the seventh inning against the Red Sox’ left-handed reliever Bernardino, and Carlson swatted a single to right field.