COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Cardinals split doubleheader with Braves
The Cardinals broke out of their slumping offense for one game on Sunday. The problem was they then had to play the second game of a doubleheader against the Braves.
Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt each homered to back Adam Wainwright in a 9-1 win in game one of the split-doubleheader in Atlanta, the result of a rainout on Saturday night.
The big offensive outburst came after the Cardinals had scored a total of 10 runs in their previous seven games and had been held to three hits in each of the first two games in the series.
Any momentum the Cardinals thought they established in that game, however, disappeared in the night game when they lost 1-0, this time being held to only two hits.
Here is how Sunday’s doubleheader broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals had 10 hits in the opener and had three multiple-run innings. Arenado broke an 0-for-20 streak with a two-run homer in the first and later added another RBI drawing a bases loaded walk … Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer as part of a four-RBI game … It was only the second game this season that both Goldschmidt and Arenado homered in the same game; the other time was in the 11th game of the season on April 13 … In the second game, the Cardinals were held to just two hits, back to back infield singles by Goldschmidt and Arenado in the sixth inning … It was the sixth time this season that they were shut out.
On the mound: Wainwright threw the seven-inning complete game in the opener, setting a season-high with 11 strikeouts. He allowed only two hits, back to back singles in the fourth, when the Braves scored their only run on a double steal … Kwang Hyun Kim was the tough-luck loser in the night game, allowing just three hits over four innings, one of which was a homer by Ronald Acuna, Jr.
Key stat: The 1-0 win on a home run in the second game marked the first time the Braves had won a game by that score against the Cardinals since Fred McGriff homered for the only run in a game on Sept. 5, 1995 in Atlanta.
Worth noting: The Cardinals decided not to add a 27th man for the doubleheader, in part because of Monday’s scheduled day off … The Cardinals have now lost seven of their last eight road games and fell back to .500 for the season at 36-36.
Looking ahead: After Monday’s day off the Cardinals will open a quick two-game series on Tuesday night in Detroit. Johan Oviedo is scheduled to start against the Tigers.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains