Editor’s note: The video above of Adam Wainwright talking about adopting his son was published in April 2019.
During most spring weekends with the Chicago Cubs in town, the St. Louis Cardinals dominate the attention of the city. There is no doubt they are the natural big brother in St. Louis. This weekend, however, was not the case.
With the St. Louis Blues hosting their first Stanley Cup Final game in 49 years, the Cardinals were in the doghouse heading into the start of a home series with the Cubs, carrying a deplorable stretch of games right with them.
After a sobering Friday walk-off win that left the Birds with a 9-18 record for May, they outlasted the Cubs into Sunday morning, beating them 7-4 in a game that saw an over three-hour rain delay.
The stage was set Sunday for potential season-changing victory.
Adam Wainwright, 37 years old and entering the season with an incentive-laden contract, against Cole Hamels, the Cubs big pickup last summer. An ageless battle between two guys who either have the hill in their view or are busy trying not to stumble down it.
The two pitchers would combine for 15 innings pitched with just one run allowed, which came on a sacrifice fly from Kolten Wong.
If the Cubs were to bill any Cardinal for Sunday’s loss, it would be the second baseman. He drove in the first run, preserved it with a running catch in the eighth inning, and scored the highly important insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. He helped Wainwright best Hamels and the Cubs.
That's the story.
It's not Kris Bryant hearing more boos than the despicable Addison Russell, which will be a story all season long or until the Cubs released him. It's Wainwright finding new ways to be great and becoming something he hasn't been in over two years: reliable.
But it wasn't a completely rosy afternoon.
Wainwright walked seven batters, threw 126 pitches, and dangled the fate of the game over the sold-out crowd in the eighth inning. I noted on Twitter that Mike Shildt was showing some Mike Matheny-type stubbornness in sticking with the veteran pitcher. But in the postgame, he had valid reasons to do so.
Shildt "took [Wainwright's] temperature" before the inning. The Cardinals manager didn't think the contact from the Cubs or the accuracy of the pitches reflected the need for a switch. Due to Wong's athleticism, he was right. Next time, perhaps not.
The statement remains. Wainwright can still surprise me.
If I was betting before the weekend, I wouldn't have bet on a Cards sweep. If I was laying down a wager before today's game, I wouldn't put money on Wainwright out-dueling Hamels, but here we are.
With rookie catcher Andrew Knizner working his first Major League game, Wainwright pitched eight innings for the first time since September 10, 2016. He improved his ERA on the season from 4.94, following a rough stretch of starts where he allowed 12 runs in 15 innings, to 4.34.
When examining his season, you can find four good starts, two very good starts, four bad starts, and two uneven ones. 6-4-2 isn't a bad ratio for a guy making $500,000 more than backup catcher Matt Wieters.
Hopes for Wainwright’s success coming into the season sat right next to hopes for construction on I-44 to be completed. Somehow, through some form of rebirth, he has been one of the team's most reliable arms through a third of a season.
It may not last. Good things in sports rarely do, especially with a 37-year-old arm slinging curveballs and cutters every fifth day.
Wainwright's next turn comes against the Cubs at Wrigley on Saturday, a ballpark where he's had moderate success over his career. A 4.04 ERA and 1.3 WHIP isn't something to write home about, but the 11-4 overall record means good things happen when Wainwright takes the hill on the North Side.
When it comes to Wainwright and the Cardinals I feel like fans, and even writers, are playing with house money at this point. Any positives represent the icing on the cake of a career that has spanned over 13 seasons, 297 starts, 153 wins, and 1,998.1 innings.
The Cardinals have adopted Wainwright's underdog status lately, going from first place to fourth place in the division, and failing to win two games in a row for four weeks. A puzzling team that could make this summer a spellbinding experience is getting started on nerves around St. Louis early. Restless fans who are used to seas of red in October and November demand better.
Adam Wainwright, at the very least, is giving them just that.
Follow Dan Buffa on Twitter at @Buffa82.