ST. LOUIS — One of the few things Cardinals fans have had to cheer about this year has been the performance of Ryan Helsley, and the more than 41,000 on hand on Saturday night at Busch Stadium got a chance to salute the Cardinals closer one more time.
Helsley struck out the side on 12 pitches in the ninth inning to earn his 46th save in the win over the Guardians.
Only three pitchers in team history have saved more games in a season than Helsley – Trevor Rosenthal with 48 and Jason Isringhausen and Lee Smith with 47. The Cardinals have seven games remaining to try to give Helsley a chance at the three saves he needs to set a franchise record.
It didn’t appear Helsley would get a save opportunity in this game after Ivan Herrera’s three-run homer put the Cardinals up 6-1 in the seventh but the Guardians responded with a four-run eighth to make it a one-run game.
Despite the loss the Guardians were celebrating after the game as a loss by the Royals clinched Cleveland’s victory in the AL Central.
Here is how Saturday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Jordan Walker hit his fifth home run in September, a two-run shot in the fourth, and it was still a 2-1 game going to the seventh. The Cardinals took advantage of two Cleveland errors and a hit batter that extended the inning before Herrera’s two-out home run … Herrera also walked in the fourth and score on Walker’s homer before hitting a leadoff double in the sixth, only to be stranded on third base … Thomas Saggese had a tough night, striking out in all four of his at-bats.
On the mound: Miles Mikolas got the victory by allowing only one run over six innings. He scattered four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out four … The Guardians rally in the eighth came against JoJo Romero, who retired only one of the five hitters he faced and gave up a three-run homer to Jose Ramirez. Matthew Liberatore allowed an inherited runner to score before getting the final two outs in the inning to strand the would-be tying run at second.
Key stat: With his 46 saves and seven wins, Helsley has been involved in 53 of the Cardinas 78 victories (68 percent). Smith also was involved in 53 wins for the Cardinals in 1991 with 47 saves and six wins.
Worth noting: Before the game the Cardinals announced that Sonny Gray’s season is over. He was placed on the injured list because of tendinitis in his right forearm. Kyle Leahy was recalled from Memphis, whose season ends on Sunday … Helsley’s save also was his 25th at home, tying Rosenthal in 2014 for the most saves at Busch Stadium in a season … Michael McGreevy will replace Gray in the starting rotation for the final week of the season and get the start on Tuesday in Colorado.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals play their final home game of the season on Sunday with Andre Pallante the scheduled starter.