CHICAGO — The Cardinals have played a lot of exciting games so far in August. Wednesday night’s game was not one of them.
The Cardinals fell behind 3-0 in the second inning and the Cubs added on runs late to win for the second time in the last three games in the five-game series that will conclude on Thursday.
The loss dropped the Cardinals record this month to 17-5.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: The only highlights for the Cardinals were a home run by Lars Nootbaar in the fifth that produced their only run, and Corey Dickerson getting four hits for the second consecutive game. He doubled in the second and then had three singles, and is 8-of-9 in the last two games … Albert Pujols had a double in four at-bats … The Cardinals were 0-of-6 with runners in scoring position.
On the mound: Miles Mikolas allowed the three runs in the second and then served up a two-run homer to the Cubs’ ninth-place hitter, Zach McKinstry, in the seventh, knocking him out of the game … The final two runs in the eighth came off Genesis Cabrera.
Key stat: The last Cardinal to have four hits in consecutive games was Matt Carpenter in 2016. The last to do it at Wrigley Field was Ozzie Smith in 1983. The team record is three consecutive four-hit games, by Stan Musial, in 1946.
Worth noting: Nolan Arenado was ejected by home plate umpire John Libka in the third. Arenado thought he had walked on a 3-2 pitch, which would have loaded the bases, but Libka said he went around on a checked swing … Paul Goldschmidt got the day off, his first since July 27 … The Cardinals announced their 2023 regular-season schedule on Wednesday. The season will begin on March 30 with a home game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Looking ahead: Dakota Hudson will get the start for the 1:20 p.m. game on Thursday, the final game of the series and the road trip. It will be the final game at Wrigley for Pujols and Yadier Molina.
