MIAMI — The outcome of Monday night’s game against the Marlins was all too familiar for fans who have been watching the Cardinals this season.
Carrying a 4-2 lead into the seventh inning, Miles Mikolas issued back-to-back walks with one out before he was pulled from the game and replaced by Andre Pallante.
One pitch later, the game was tied. Before the inning was over, the Marlins had the lead and the Cardinals were headed to another one-run loss.
It was the 17th blown save this season for the Cardinals and they fell to 8-17 in one-run games.
Here is how Monday’s game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game on an RBI single from Lars Nootbaar in the second and a home run by Willson Contreras with two outs in the third … Contreras led off the sixth with a double and scored on a two-out double by Paul DeJong to give the Cardinals the lead and they added another run in the seventh when Nootbaar walked, went to third on a single by Paul Goldschmidt and scored on a sacrifice fly by Nolan Arenado … A one-out single by DeJong and a hit batter put the tying run on second with one out in the eighth, but Nootbaar flew out and Tommy Edman struck out … Contreras had three hits and also reached base on a walk … The Cardinals were 3-of-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners.
On the mound: After allowing two runs through the first four batters he faced in the first inning, Mikolas allowed only one more hit through his 6 1/3 innings, a second-inning single. He retired 14 batters in a row before the two consecutive walks, both on 3-2 pitches, that ended his night … Pinch-hitter Yuli Gurriel doubled on the first pitch from Pallante to drive in both runs to tie the game, and pinch-runner Jon Berti scored on a single by Nick Fortes to put the Marlins ahead … Pallante had allowed only five of 22 inherited runners to score this season before Monday night.
Key stat: When the Cardinals fell behind in the seventh inning and couldn’t come back, it left them with a record of 1-40 this year in games in which they were losing after the seventh inning.
Worth noting: Mikolas has allowed at least two runs in the first inning in four of his last six starts … The Cardinals recalled Luken Baker from Memphis before the game and inserted him into the lineup as the designated hitter. He was 1-of-4, getting a single in his first at-bat and scoring the first St. Louis run … To make room for Baker on the roster, outfielder Oscar Mercado was designated for assignment … The Cardinals on Monday announced that they had signed their first player from Taiwan, 21-year-old righthanded pitcher Chen-Wie Lin. The 6-foot-7 Lin will be assigned to the rookie Complex League team in Jupiter, Fla … Tink Hence, the top pitching prospect in the organization, will make his debut for Double A Springfield on Tuesday after his promotion from Peoria over the weekend.
Looking ahead: Adam Wainwright, trying to bounce back from two consecutive poor starts, will start for the Cardinals in Tuesday’s Fourth of July game. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. St. Louis time.
Nick Fortes hit a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning and the Miami Marlins rallied to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Monday night.
In front of a home crowd of 19,638, Marlins pinch hitter Yuli Gurriel tied it in the seventh with a two-run double against reliever Andre Pallante after two straight walks. The Marlins then inserted the speedy Jon Berti to pinch run for Gurriel, and Berti scored on Fortes’ ground-ball single.
Marlins reliever Tanner Scott worked a scoreless eighth to preserve the lead, and A.J. Puk got the final three outs for his 14 save of the season.
Paul DeJong had broken a 2-2 tie in the sixth with an RBI double for the Cardinals, who are last place in the NL Central.
Willson Contreras led off the inning with a double against starter Braxton Garrett then scored on DeJong’s line drive off reliever Andrew Nardi. Huascar Brazoban (3-1) got the last two outs of the seventh for the win.
Garrett struck out six and allowed seven hits and two runs.
Contreras, who was 3 for 4, tied it in the second inning with his ninth home run of the season — a solo shot that went 383 feet to left. He also singled in the first and finished a triple shy of the cycle.
Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas gave up two runs and four hits in six innings. After giving up all four hits in the first two innings, he retired 14 straight batters and did not allow a runner until back-to-back walks of Garrett Cooper and Jean Segura in the seventh to start the Marlins' rally.
Pallante (2-1) replaced Mikolas with the tying runs on base and took the loss.
Miami used a three-hit first to take a 2-0 lead. Luis Arraez led off with a single, Jorge Soler doubled, Bryan De La Cruz drove in Arraez with a grounder and Jesus Sanchez hit an RBI double.
Arraez was 1 for 4 bringing his batting average to .388.
Nolan Arenado’s sacrifice fly in the seventh drove in Lars Nootbaar to make it 4-2.
The Cardinals blew their 17th save opportunity of the season — the most in the NL and tied with the Chicago White Sox for most in the majors.
ROSTER MOVES
Cardinals: Designated OF Oscar Mercado for assignment and recalled first baseman Luken Baker from Triple-A Memphis. ... Signed RHP Chen-Wei Lin, the franchise’s first player signed out of Taiwan.
Marlins: Placed OF Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain. ... Called up OF Dane Myers from Triple-A Jacksonville .. Designated RHP Eli Villalobos for assignment.
TRAINERS ROOM
Marlins: RHP Matt Barnes (left hip impingement) is scheduled to pitch back-to-back outings on a rehab assignment in Jupiter starting Monday night. ... RHP Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement) threw a 25-pitch bullpen Monday ... RHP Max Meyer (Tommy John surgery) will begin a bullpen progression this week. ... RHP Johnny Cueto will pitch seven innings with Triple A Jacksonville Monday night.
UP NEXT
LHP Jesus Luzardo (6-5, 3.53) will start for the Marlins on Tuesday against Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright (3-3, 7.45).
