Tempers flare as Cardinals get routed 11-3 in fourth straight loss as Giants clinch collection
The buttoned-up, measured and under-control Cardinals let their emotions overflow in the fourth inning. Whether it was just the heat of that specific moment or the buildup of weeks of frustration finally bubbling to the surface, they briefly let their anger show on the field as they barked at their counterparts the San Francisco Giants in a benches-clearing altercation.
However, the moment passed with little more than words exchanged. The fire shown when members of both teams had to be separated didn’t carry over for the Cardinals, at least not in a productive way.
The Cardinals lost a series-clinching second game of a three-game series with the Giants 11-3 in front of announced crowd of 40,917 at Busch Stadium on Tuesday night.
The fourth straight loss at home for the Cardinals (27-41) came with its share of boo birds by midway through the game. They’ve now lost 11 of their last 14, and they entered the day in last place in the National League Central Division.
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The Giants (35-32) have won three in a row.
The teams conclude their series on Wednesday afternoon. The Cardinals have a scheduled day off on Thursday before they go on the road for 11 days, including their trip to London, where they’ll play the Chicago Cubs in England’s London Stadium as part of the MLB London Series on June 24-25.
Paul Goldschmidt (2 for 3, RBI) and Nolan Arenado (2 for 3, double) had multi-hit games in the loss. Brendan Donovan also doubled.
Cardinals batters were hit by a pitch for the seventh consecutive game.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) talks with pitching coach Dusty Blake (90) in the dugout after the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Face-to-face confrontations
At the end of the fourth inning, both dugouts and both bullpens emptied as players and coaches from both teams poured out onto the playing field after Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and Giants leadoff hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. exchanged heated words.
The two had a brief exchange during the inning while Wade was on second base. It appeared Wade may have been signaling pitch locations to batters based on where Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras was setting up.
As Flaherty walked to the dugout after an inning-ending grounder, he and Wade barked at one another. Contreras then started yelling in Wade’s direction and teammates from both sides got between the Contreras and Wade.
Cardinals reliever Genesis Cabrera puts his jersey in his mouth as Giants catcher Patrick Bailey rounds third on a solo home run in the sixth inning on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium.
Cardinals reliever Genesis Cabrera sprinted from the bullpen to the home plate area where the two groups were squaring off and yelling back and forth.
No punches were thrown, and no ejections were warranted.
Flaherty gave up three runs in the top of the fifth, and Cabrera came in to finish the inning.
Flaherty (3-5) finished the outing having allowed six runs on 10 hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.
The Cardinals allowed 10 hits or more through the first five innings for the eighth time this season. That occurred seven times for the entire 2022 season.
St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Dylan Carlson (3) can’t reach a 2 RBI double by San Francisco Giants Michael Conforto (8) off Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) in the first inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Cardinals right fielder Dylan Carlson can’t reach a two-RBI double by the Giants’ Michael Conforto off Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty in the first inning on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium.
Running through a wall
The Giants’ first two runs came courtesy of a Michael Conforto two-run double with two outs in the first inning.
Flaherty issued a one-out walk — his MLB-leading 14th first-inning walk — and a single to put two men on. Flaherty, who pitched around three first-inning walks in his previous start, then struck out cleanup hitter J.D. Davis for the second out of the inning.
Conforto (4 for 6, three RBIs) then roped a 2-0 slider from Flaherty into right-center field. Right fielder Dylan Carlson gave chase. He made a leaping attempt as the ball sailed over his head and off the wall. Carlson crashed into the wall but happened to hit the wall at the spot where the bullpen door is located.
Carlson busted through the door as the ball caromed toward center fielder Tommy Edman, who picked up the ball and threw it back to the infield.
Carlson appeared OK when he emerged from the bullpen. However, the door was still being tended to into the bottom half of the inning.
Cardinals answer back early
The Cardinals responded right away and tied the score after the Giants took a two-run advantage in the top of the first.
The first four Cardinals batters reached base on a double by Donovan, a fielding error on a hard-hit groundball off the bat of Goldschmidt, a walk by Nolan Gorman and an RBI single from Arenado.
The Goldschmidt play was later changed to a hit by the official scorer.
That marked the first time each of the first four batters of the game reached for the Cardinals since Aug. 21, 2022.
Donovan scored on the scorcher to first base by Goldschmidt. With two outs and the bases loaded, Carlson hit a grounder to second base, but he hustled down the line and prevented the Giants from turning a double play. Goldschmidt scored from third on the play.
That marked the first time two Cardinals scored in the first inning since April 2, when Donovan and Alec Burleson led off the bottom of the first with back-to-back home runs against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb, a right-hander, twirled a gem against the Cardinals in San Francisco on April 24. He tossed his first shutout in more than 10 years, and he held the Cardinals to six hits and one walk over nine innings. He also struck out nine in his 109-pitch outing.
The 10 years, 244 days between shutouts represented the third-longest span between a pitcher’s first and second career shutout since 1900.
Cobb (6-2) became the ninth pitcher since at least 1901 to allow four runs or fewer across his first four career starts against the Cardinals, the first since former Washington Nationals pitcher Gio Gonzalez allowed three through his first four starts against the Cardinals from 2012-15.
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Cardinals rookie outfielder Jordan Walker logged the first outfield assist of his career in the third inning.
Walker, who started in left field for the fifth consecutive game, fielded an RBI single hit on the ground into left field by Giants slugger Conforto with one out in the inning.
The runner on third scored easily on the single. Davis, who’d been on first base, tried to advance all the way to third. Walker threw on a line to the third baseman Arenado, who applied the tag quickly. The initial call on the field was that the runner was safe.
However, the Cardinals challenged the call. Upon review, Davis was called out. Davis suffered a right ankle sprain while sliding into third base. He came out of the game for a defensive replacement in the bottom half of the inning.
The Giants also lost Mitch Haniger to a fractured right forearm suffered on a hit by pitch in the top half of the inning. Haniger left the game after a Flaherty sinker veered too far inside.
Walker committed a fielding error later in the game on a Conforto single hit down the line in the fifth inning. Walker misplayed the bouncing ball down the line, and it allowed Conforto to advance to second base.
In today’s 10 a.m. “Ten Hochman” video — brought to you by Siteman Cancer Center and Window Nation — Ben Hochman discusses Willson Contreras, who is hitting .201 in this infuriating season for the St. Louis Cardinals. Also, a happy birthday shoutout to Ally Sheedy! And as always, Hochman picks a random St. Louis Cards card from the hat!
Benjamin Hochman
Photos: San Francisco Giants rout St. Louis Cardinals 11-3
St. Louis Cardinals Willson Contreras (40) drops his bat after bashing a cooler after striking out in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals bench coach Joe McEwing (77) holds back starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) during bench clearing brew Haha with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals bench coach Joe McEwing (77) holds back starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) during bench clearing brew Haha with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Genesis Cabrera (92) puts his jersey in his mouth after San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) hit a solo-home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Dylan Carlson (3) can’t reach a 2 RBI double by San Francisco Giants Michael Conforto (8) off Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) in the first inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Jordan Walker (18) watches the two-run home run hit by San Francisco Giants Mike Yastrzemski (5) bounce over the wall in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Cardinals reliever Genesis Cabrera puts his jersey in his mouth as Giants catcher Patrick Bailey rounds third on a solo home run in the sixth inning on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium.
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) sits with Willson Contreras (40) in the dugout after all the players cleared out following the Cardinals devastating 11-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals rDylan Carlson (3) legs out a throw to San Francisco Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. (31) in the second inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Goldschmidt scored on the play. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) talks with pitching coach Dusty Blake (90) after being taken out of the game in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) talks with pitching coach Dusty Blake (90) after being taken out of the game in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) takes the game ball from starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Genesis Cabrera (92) walks back to the mound after San Francisco Giants center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (5) hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (40) tags out San Francisco Giants Michael Conforto (8) in the fifth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Jordan Walker (18) mishandles a single by San Francisco Giants Michael Conforto (8) in the fifth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Walker was charged with an error on the play. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals bench coach Joe McEwing (77) holds back starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) during bench clearing brew Haha with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals Jordan Walker (18) strikes out to San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb (38) to end the second inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals Nolan Gorman (16) flies out to San Francisco Giants center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (5) to end the second inning with two runners on base of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals Jordan Walker (18) strikes out to San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb (38) to end the second inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) walks off the field after replacing the pitcher in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) talks with Cardinals relief pitcher Jake Woodford (44) in the dugout after Woodford was removed from the game in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) takes the game ball from Cardinals relief pitcher Jake Woodford (44) in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) hugs Willson Contreras (40) in the dugout after staying to talk after all the players cleared out following the Cardinals devastating 11-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals Jordan Walker (18) motions back to the dugout after hitting a RBI double off San Francisco relief pitcher Keaton Winn (67) in the eighth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals Jordan Walker (18) rounds first base after hitting a RBI double off San Francisco relief pitcher Keaton Winn (67) in the eighth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals fan Ashton Siegull, 11, hopes for an autograph before the start of baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) talks with pitching coach Dusty Blake (90) after being taken out of the game in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Cardinals right fielder Dylan Carlson can’t reach a two-RBI double by the Giants’ Michael Conforto off Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty in the first inning on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at Busch Stadium.
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