ST. LOUIS — Held to just three hits through the first eight innings on Monday night, the Cardinals rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to send their game against the Phillies to extra innings.
They couldn’t do it again in the 10th.
The Phillies got to Ryan Helsley for two runs in the top of the 10th before holding off the Cardinals in the bottom of the inning to win the opener of the three-game series at Busch Stadium.
Masyn Winn’s two-out single in the ninth tied the game and Brendan Donovan just missed a game-tying home run in the 10th when Brandon Marsh caught his long fly at the wall in left field.
Here is how Monday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Winn’s single was the Cardinals’ first hit with a runner in scoring position. Paul Goldschmidt also singled with the ghost runner on second in the 10th before Nolan Gorman and Nolan Arenado struck out to end the game, stranding runners on first and third base and leaving the Cardinals 2-of-12 with a runner in scoring position … Ivan Herrera hit his second home run, which glanced off Marsh’s glove and into the visiting bullpen, in the seventh … The only other hits until the ninth were a leadoff double by Arenado in the second and a one-out single by Winn in the fifth … In the ninth, Herrera walked with one out before Alec Burleson’s double moved Herrera to third. He scored on a sacrifice fly from Jordan Walker before Winn’s hit drove in pinch-runner Michael Siani … Victor Scott II stole his second base of the season, only the third by the Cardinals in their first 11 games.
On the mound: Miles Mikolas pitched into the seventh inning, giving up two runs in the fifth when the Phillies got three singles on three consecutive pitches. He stranded four runners in scoring position and also was helped out by two double plays … A home run by Marsh off Giovanny Gallegos in the ninth inning gave the Phillies their third run … Helsley retired the first batter he faced in the 10th before intentionally walking Bryce Harper. Alec Bohm followed with a double and Bryson Stott delivered a sacrifice fly for the second run.
Key stat: The Cardinals struck out 11 times, the eighth time in the season’s first 11 games they have had nine or more strikeouts. They have 106 strikeouts for the season, the third-highest total in the NL.
Worth noting: Willson Contreras was out of the starting lineup for the fourth consecutive game. He hasn’t played since he was hit on the hand by a pitch in last Wednesday’s game. He will likely play on Tuesday night, according to manager Oli Marmol … Lars Nootbaar was back at Busch Stadium to be re-evaluated by medical personnel as he recovers from two broken ribs. He has been playing for Triple-A Memphis but will move his rehab assignment to Double-A Springfield on Tuesday. It is likely Nootbaar will be activated from the injured list in time to join the Cardinals when they begin a road trip on Friday night in Arizona.
Looking ahead: Sonny Gray will come off the injured list to make his Cardinals debut in Tuesday night’s game against the Phillies. The Cardinals will have to make a roster move to open a spot for Gray.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
