In his remarks after the game, Paul Goldschmidt (whose grand slam had sent home the winning runs) more or less put his finger on the issue. He said:
“I think we’re going to have to find a way to win these games. There’s going to be the games you just lose, and there’s going to be the ones you come out there and win. But we have to find a way to win the close ones.”
These words of wisdom (quoted in the mlb.com game account) came in the aftermath of another one-run game – this one a 6-5, ten-inning conquest of the Pittsburgh Pirates (box score).
The Cardinals have now played 17 games in the month of July, and nearly half of them (7 to be precise) have been decided by one run. There is a romance to the one-run game. As the Cardinal’s slugging first baseman pointed out, a season is determined by that percentage of games that could go either way. The ones that are decided less by talent and more by character.
It’s part of my interest in one-run games. Games where the difference is truly as thin as one at bat either way.
Almost always, one-run games are characterized by strong pitching efforts. They are generally 4-3 or 3-2 games. The Cardinal’s one-run games this month, though, have been decidedly offensive by comparison.
Of the 7 there were 2 that were clearly pitching duels – a 1-0 game and a 3-2 game. But the other five are a 5-4 game, two 6-5 games, and the 12-11 game of last Friday. In their 7 July one-run games, the birds have hit 12 home runs and averaged 5 runs a game. But the Cards are only 4-3 in those games, because the pitching staff has scuffled to a 5.02 ERA in them.
For the season, St Louis has fought through 29 one-run games. They have won 14 and lost 15. The Brewers, by comparison, are 15-11 in one-run games, the Braves are 18-11, and Philadelphia is 13-10.
San Francisco is 23-10 in one-run games.
It’s a trait you almost always see in the tough teams. But something not consistently found in the Cardinals.
Not yet, anyway.
Tommy Edman
Tommy Edman contributed 2 hits and a run scored to the victory. Tommy has been in the starting lineup for 7 straight games, and is hitting .300 (9 for 30) in those games.
Edman has also been one of the team’s most consistent forces in one-run games since bursting onto the scene. He has played in all 7 this month (starting 6) and is hitting .407 (11 for 27) in them. He has played in 10 one-run games since his call up. He is hitting .438 (14 for 32) with a home run and 4 runs batted in in those games.
Tyler O’Neill
After a torrid start after his recall, Tyler O’Neill – now that he has been made a fixture in the lineup – is starting to fade a bit. After his 0-for-5 last night, Tyler is just 2 for 18 (.111) – all singles – over his last 4 games. He has no walks and six strikeouts in those contests.
Yairo Munoz
Yairo Munoz was also one of the Cardinals held hitless last night – he was 0-for-4. Munoz has been one of the team’s better hitters in one-run games, but not this month. In the 7 July one-run games, Munoz is now hitting .217 (5 for 23) with no walks.
Daniel Ponce de Leon
Daniel Ponce de Leon started the affair and lasted just 3 innings. Four walks in those innings hastened his exit. Still, for the innings that he pitched, Daniel was only touched for one run. When he starts, I’m surer management would like to see him get deeper into games, but for the month of July so far Ponce de Leon holds a 3.00 ERA over 18 innings.
Daniel has also been one of those players who have stepped up in the one-run games he has been a part of. Ponce de Leon has only pitched in 5 of the 29 Cardinal one-run game (4 as a starter), but holds a 2.66 ERA and a .211 batting average against in those 20.1 innings.
Tyler Webb
Just recalled from Memphis, Tyler Webb was thrust right into the middle of another one-run game. He threw two scoreless innings (the seventh and the eighth) to help send the game into extra-innings.
Tyler has pitched in only 4 games this month in and around his trip to Memphis, but two of those have been one-run affairs (he also pitched in the 5-4 loss in Seattle on July 2). He pitched 1.1 hitless innings in that one as well – although he granted one intentional walk.
Webb has 3.1 hitless innings in the one-run games he’s pitched this month, and for the season has allowed just 1 run in 6.1 innings during parts of 8 one-run games.
John Brebbia
John Brebbia struck out two more batters in his .2 scoreless innings last night. Since returning from his paternity leave, John has pitched 9 innings, giving 2 runs on 4 hits. He has struck out 17 of the last 33 batters to face him.
Brebbia has now pitched 10 innings across 9 one-run games this season. He holds a 1.80 ERA and a .194 batting average against in those games, while striking out 15 batters.
Carlos Martinez
This was a 6-3 Cardinal lead in the tenth inning when Carlos Martinez walked in to preserve the lead. He did – after 6 batters and 3 hits that included a home run. He was saved from his first blown save of the season (as a closer) when Jose Martinez cut down the tying run at the plate.
Carlos is now a troubled closer. He has given up runs in 4 of his last 5 games. Over his last 5 innings, Martinez has given 6 runs on 10 hits and 4 walks. His ERA for his 8 July innings has risen to 6.75.
Carlos has all 4 of the saves the team has in one-run games this month – but they haven’t been pretty. In the 4 innings of those saves, Martinez has allowed 4 runs on 9 hits. For the season, Carlos has thrown 11 innings in 10 one-run games with a 4.09 ERA and a .311 batting average against to show for it.
Carlos continues to be a concern.
NoteBook
The grand slam proved to be Paul Goldschmidt’s sixth game-winning run batted in of the season. This ties him with Paul DeJong for second on the team behind Marcell Ozuna’s 9.
Kolten Wong’s intentional walk was his thirty-third walk of the year. He drew only 31 in 407 plate appearances last year. In his seventh season, Kolten has never walked more than the 41 walks he drew in 411 plate appearances in 2017.