As the first arm up in a bullpen effort on Wednesday night, Cardinals lefty Matthew Liberatore delivered perhaps his strongest performance of the season.
Called upon to start the second game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves, Liberatore completed six scoreless innings and struck out eight batters in a 4-1 win. His innings total set a season high, while the eight strikeouts were a career high. Liberatore came into Wednesday having pitched in 27 games, with 22 of those in relief.
The lefty was announced as the starter for Game 2 early on Wednesday as the Cardinals moved Andre Pallante’s scheduled start from Wednesday to Friday. The Cardinals elected to go with a bullpen game as a way to lighten the starting pitching staff’s load considering they have just two off-days between Wednesday and the July 15 All-Star break.
Liberatore (2-2) was aided to a lead in the second inning on a two-run double from Alec Burleson that came after Michael Siani singled with two outs in the frame and advanced to third on a Masyn Winn single.
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The Cardinals (41-38) secured their second consecutive series win and improved to 26-13 since May 12, giving them the best record in the National League during that stretch.
ºüÀêÊÓƵ dropped the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader 6-2 after starter Kyle Gibson gave up four runs in four innings and reliever Kyle Leahy allowed a two-run homer in the sixth inning. Cardinals hitters were held to four hits in Game 1, with all four coming against starter Reynaldo Lopez, who lasted five innings. Braves relievers combined to keep ºüÀêÊÓƵ to no hits and two walks over the last four innings of Game 1.
Liberatore quiets Atlanta order
After allowing a leadoff single to Jarred Kelenic to begin the game, Liberatore retired 15 of the next 17 batters who stepped to the plate to face him. Kelenic singled again off Liberatore in the third inning but was left stranded as Ozzie Albies flied out to center field. The only Brave not named Kelenic to reach base against Liberatore on Wednesday night was Austin Riley.
The lefty did not allow a base runner to advance beyond second base.
Liberatore, a former top pitching prospect in the Cardinals system and a starter upon his arrival to the majors in 2022, had 10 swings and misses on his slider, per Statcast. His fastball, which he threw 26 times, averaged 94.6 mph and reached as high as 96.5 mph.
As he reached his highest pitch count since he threw 92 pitches in a start on Aug. 3 last season, Liberatore flashed as high as 96 mph on his sinker in his final inning. The reliever bookended his start by striking out the side in order in the sixth. His final pitch of the night led to a swing and miss on a curveball against Albies.
Bullpen holds lead, Helsley earns save
Following behind 27th man Chris Roycroft after he pitched a scoreless seventh inning, righty Andrew Kittredge and lefty JoJo Romero combined to cover the eighth inning, though it came with some trouble.
Kittredge retired the first two batters he faced but allowed to runners to reach the corners when Ramon Laureano singled and Sean Murphy, who pinch-hit for Luke Williams, doubled.
Romero was called from the bullpen for the lefty-on-lefty matchup against Kelenic. The Cardinals left-hander allowed a single to the Braves left-handed hitter that cut the Cardinals led in half and put runners on the corners once again.
With the switch-hitting Albies batting from the right side, Romero induced a ground out to third base that was fielded cleanly by Nolan Arenado. Arenado’s throw pulled first baseman Paul Goldschmidt off the bag, but Goldschmidt was able to haul in the throw and tag Albies for the inning-ending out.
Ryan Helsley worked around a walk and a single to earn his 28th save of the year. The hard-throwing righty walked Matt Olson and allowed a single to Riley but secured the win with a strikeout vs. Adam Duvall.
2-out offense
After being held to four hits and two runs in Game 1, the Cardinals received all three runs in Game 2 with two outs.
Burleson’s double in the second inning gave the Cardinals their first runs of the nightcap and accounted for his 35th and 36th RBIs of the year.
Goldschmidt provided insurance with a one-run single in the eighth. Donovan’s single after Goldschmidt stole second base that inning provided some extra comfort for Helsley.
Siani lays out again
Patrolling center field for the series finale, it didn’t take long for Siani to add another play to his defensive highlight reel. He did so with two outs in the first.
On a sinking line drive off the bat off Braves designated hitter and former Cardinal Marcell Ozuna, Siani charged toward right-center field and extended to make a successful diving catch to end the inning.
Siani came into Wednesday’s series finale tied for second across Major League Baseball in outs above average at plus-11, per Statcast. The 24-year-old had a plus-nine fielding run value through his first 50 games.