ST. LOUIS — In the disappointing start to the Cardinals’ season, one trend continued on Friday night.
The Cardinals’ loss to the Mariners in Seattle extended their streak of losing the first game of all seven series they have played so far this year.
The Mariners broke a 2-2 with three runs in the sixth inning and send the Cardinals to the loss in the opener of their 10-game West Coast trip.
Here is how Friday night’s game broke down:’
At the plate: Jordan Walker’s two-run double in the second inning accounted for all of the Cardinals’ runs and it was one of just three hits they got in the game … The two-out double drove in Nolan Arenado, who had singled, and Willson Contreras, who was hit by a pitch … Their only other hit was a single by Alec Burleson in the sixth …They had only four at-bats with a runner in scoring position.
On the mound: Steven Matz gave up two runs through the first five innings and then walked two batters in the sixth, his only walks of the game, before being pulled from the game. Drew VerHagen relieved and got a strikeout, but it came on his second wild pitch, which loaded the bases. After an automatic strike call, A.J. Pollock hit the next pitch for a two-run double and then a sacrifice fly drove in the inning’s third run … JoJo Romero and Chris Stratton worked the final two innings.
Worth noting: Paul DeJong had three hits, including a home run, and drove in six runs on Friday night to lead Memphis to its 11th win in a row. DeJong’s rehab assignment will run out next week, at which point the Cardinals will have to make a decision about returning him to the roster … Adam Wainwright’s second rehab start will be for Springfield on Tuesday night in Wichita.
Looking ahead: Miles Mikolas will get the start on Saturday night in the second game of the series