ST. LOUIS — Sonny Gray told the Cardinals that he didn’t need to go pitch in a minor-league rehab game to prove he was ready to join the Cardinals’ rotation.
The Cardinals took him at his word and gave him the start on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium – and were very glad they did.
Gray, working with a 65-pitch limit, needed 64 pitches to keep the Phillies scoreless through five innings and send the Cardinals to the victory.
Gray had not pitched in an official game since injuring his hamstring in a spring training game in early March. He had appeared in simulated games in both Florida and last week against the Cardinals’ Double A hitters in Springfield and originally had been scheduled to start a game this week in Memphis.
Gray allowed five hits, did not walk and a batter and recorded five strikeouts, including fanning Bryce Harper twice.
Here is how Tuesday night’s game broke down:
At the plate: Nolan Gorman’s third homer of the season put the Cardinals up 1-0 with two outs in the fourth. They gave Gray more support by adding two runs in the fifth. Alec Burleson led off with a single, went to third on a double by Masyn Winn and scored on a sacrifice fly by Victor Scott II, his first major-league RBI. Winn then scored on a groundout by Brendan Donovan … The top four hitters in the Cardinals lineup – Donovan, Paul Goldschmidt, Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado – were a combined 1-of-15, with the hit an eighth-inning single by Contreras … Goldschmidt struck out three times and saw his average fall to .182.
On the mound: Gray had to pitch his way out of trouble to get through the fifth inning and qualify for the win. The Phillies had runners on first and second with one out with Gray about to hit his pitch limit when he induced an inning-ending double play … Matthew Liberatore, Andrew Kittredge, JoJo Romero and Ryan Helsley combined to record the final 12 outs to complete the shutout. Helsley worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save.
Key stat: Despite allowing a combined eight hits, the five Cardinals pitchers kept the Phillies hitless in seven at-bats with a runner in scoring position, recording a combined 13 strikeouts.
Worth noting: Arenado saw his hitting streak snapped at nine games. He did draw his first walk of the season, in his 52nd plate appearance … Playing in Springfield Tuesday night, Lars Nootbaar had a single and walked in five plate appearances, driving in a run and scoring twice … To make room for Gray on the roster, left-hander John King was optioned to Memphis.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals will complete the series and the first homestand of the season with a 12:15 p.m. game on Wednesday. Lance Lynn is the scheduled starter.
