DENVER — The final week of the season should be all about the Cardinals getting a look at what their team might be next season.
They had to like what they saw in the eighth inning on Tuesday night in Colorado.
Three of their youngsters – Jordan Walker, Victor Scott II and Masyn Winn – delivered consecutive two-out hits, producing four runs, as the Cardinals broke a 3-3 tie and beat the Rockies in the opener of a three-game series.
Walker and Scott, who entered the game as a pinch-runner in the seventh, singled before Winn capped the inning with a two-run double, giving him a career-high four RBIs in his first career game in Colorado.
Another youngster, Michael McGreevy, made the second major-league start of his career and worked five innings, allowing three runs.
The only downside to the four-run eighth for the Cardinals was that it took away a save situation in the ninth, keeping Ryan Helsley one save away from tying Trevor Rosenthal’s team record of 48 saves set in 2015.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Winn’s first two RBIs came on a two-run homer in the third, his 15th of the season. It also was his 150th hit this year, becoming the fourth rookie since 1957 to reach that total for the Cardinals, joining Albert Pujols, Vince Coleman and Bake McBride … The Cardinals tied the game at 3-3 in the seventh thanks to the Rockies blowing a rundown play and a wild throw that cost them a chance to turn an inning-ending double play … Nolan Arenado got the rally started in the eighth with a leadoff single before a two-out walk to Lars Nootbaar led to the three consecutive hits.
On the mound: McGreevy allowed just four hits and struck out five over his five innings. He could get the start again on Sunday in the final game of the season … Matthew Liberatore gave up a leadoff double and single to the first two batters he faced in the eighth but then got out of the jam with a fly ball and a double play … Ryan Fernandez worked the ninth, pitching around a two-out double and recording two strikeouts.
Worth noting: The Cardinals recalled Scott II from Memphis before the game and placed first baseman Luken Baker on paternity leave so he could attend the birth of his first child in Texas … Three Cardinals prospects were named winners of prestigious minor-league awards on Tuesday. Pitcher Quinn Mathews was named the minor league pitcher of the year by Baseball America while Springfield catcher Jimmy Crooks was named the MVP of the Texas League and his teammate, Tink Hence, was named the league’s pitcher of the year.
Looking ahead: Erick Fedde will get the start on Wednesday night in the second game of the series against the Rockies.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
