PHOENIX — Sunday’s Game Report: Diamondbacks 9, Cardinals 2
In the middle of their second stretch of 17 consecutive games without a day off, the Cardinals decided to rest some of their regulars in the series finale on Sunday in Phoenix.
With Tommy Edman, Nolan Arenado and Yadier Molina on the bench, and already without the injured Paul DeJong and Harrison Bader, they knew some of the replacements would have to step up if they were going to complete the sweep of the four-game series and extend their winning streak to five games.
It didn’t happen.
The Cardinals committed three more errors, walked another batter with the bases loaded and didn’t generate a run after the second inning as the winning streak came to an end.
After taking a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first two innings, the Cardinals saw the Diamondbacks respond with the nine unanswered runs, blowing the game open with five runs in the sixth inning.
Arizona’s two runs off starter Kwang Hyun Kim in the fourth gave them a 4-2 lead, ending a streak of 40 consecutive innings in which the Cardinals had either been ahead or tied over the last four games.
“We won three out of four on the road, we got some guys a blow off their feet today,” said manager Mike Shildt. “We did some things well but not enough of them.
“We gave too much away today. We didn’t play as clean as we would like, but we’ve played pretty darn good baseball. It wasn’t as good today as we would have liked.”
The win allowed the Diamondbacks to snap a 13-game losing streak.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: Dylan Carlson’s homer in the first inning was his fourth of the year but first since April 7. He had gone 182 plate appearances without hitting a home run, and this was his first since moving into the second spot in the batting order … Andrew Knizner drove in the Cardinals second run with a double in the second inning … Matt Carpenter replaced Edman as the leadoff hitter and had a pair of doubles, the only other extra-base hits for the Cardinals … Tyler O’Neill’s home run streak ended at three games as he had a single in four at-bats, striking out the other three times.
On the mound: Kim allowed the first four runs on a career-high nine hits as he failed once again to go more than five innings … In the sixth, Tyler Webb could only retire one of the six hitters he faced, giving up two hits and two walks, one of which was the bases loaded walk to former Cardinal Carson Kelly. It was the 14th bases-loaded walk issued by the Cardinals this season. Two of the runs he allowed were unearned … Jake Woodford got the final two outs in the inning but not before allowing the three runners he inherited from Webb to all score … Junior Fernandez worked the final two scoreless innings.
Key stat: The Cardinals three errors, two by Edmundo Sosa and one by Jose Rondon, gave them a total of 13 errors in the seven games so far on this road trip. The 13 errors matched their total for the previous 28 games.
Worth noting: Edman did extend his streak of appearing in every game when he pinch-hit in the ninth inning, flying out to center to end the game. He had played every inning in the Cardinals’ first 52 games … Arenado did get his first complete day off; he had been scheduled to sit out a game earlier this season against the Mets but the game was rained out … The last three times Knizner had started behind the plate, the Cardinals had recorded a shutout. They are now 13-4 this season when Knizner has started at catcher … Kodi Whitley was placed on the injured list because of a sore back which had left him unavailable the previous two games. Seth Elledge was recalled and will join the team Monday in Los Angeles … Andrew Miller will make one more rehab appearance on Tuesday for Memphis, then rejoin the Cardinals when they return home from Los Angeles on Thursday.
Looking ahead: There will be a marquee matchup in Monday night’s opener of the three-game series against the Dodgers – Jack Flaherty against Trevor Bauer. It’s an 8:10 p.m. game St. Louis time.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains