By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
After rain postponed the matchup between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, a doubleheader on Sunday saw the Cardinals drop game one 4-3, in walk off fashion,
The Cardinals opened the scoring in the first game of the doubleheader in the fourth inning, Masyn Winn singling into right field and scoring Jordan Walker. But in the bottom of the inning, the Red Sox David Hamilton hit a single of his own into right field, driving in Rob Refsnyder to tie the game at one.
Boston took the lead in the next inning, a solo home run from Rafael Devers, but St. Louis was able to knot the game back up in the sixth off the bat off Pedro Pagés, starting the first game in place of Iván Herrera, hitting a ground rule double to score Thomas Saggese. Pagés extended the Cardinals lead in the eighth inning, another double, this time driving in Victor Scott II.
A rare off day for Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley however in the ninth inning, allowed the Red Sox to tie up the game. An RBI double from Romy Gonzalez drove in Trevor Story, then with the bases loaded, Helsley walked Devers in for the tying run, sending the game to extra innings. In the tenth, Wilyer Abreu singled scoring Alex Bregman for the Boston walk off win.
Andre Pallante started the first game for St. Louis, earning a no decision, pitching 4.1 innings, striking out six and giving up two runs on four hits, walking three. Ryan Fernandez took the loss in relief, getting one out, walking one, and giving up the walk off single.
Pagés (2-4, 3 RBI), Walker (2-4), and Winn (2-3, 1 RBI) led the way hitting in the first game.
The Cardinals fared no better in game two, in fact it was even worse. After three innings, St. Louis trailed the Red Sox 10-1. After the Cardinals scored a second run in the top of the fourth inning, Boston added six more runs before the Redbirds could score again.
St. Louis added a third run in the top of the seventh inning, and were answered with two more from the Red Sox in the bottom half of the inning. The Cardinals scored the final four runs of the game in the top of the ninth inning, their biggest hit of the game being a three run home run by Saggese.
Miles Mikolas, who started the second game, couldn't even get through three innings, pitching 2.2 innings, giving up 11 hits and nine runs, just eight earned, striking out one and walking one. Brendan Donovan led the way hitting in game two going 3-4 with two RBIs.
The Cardinals will next travel to Pittsburgh for an NL Central matchup with the Pirates. Matthew Liberatore will start for St. Louis against Carmen Mlodzinski for Pittsburgh. First pitch will be at 5:40pm, pregame coverage will be joined at 5:30 on KY 102 (102.5FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.