The Cardinals completed their sweep of the Pirates at PNC Park Sunday afternoon, jumping ahead early before coasting to an 18-4 decision.
Starter Bryse Wilson was chased after allowing seven runs in 1 2/3 innings, the defense made their 33rd error of the season -- tying them with the Diamondbacks for the most in baseball -- and the only runs they scored on the day came in the ninth against Yadier Molina, who was pitching to preserve the Cardinals' bullpen. The Pirates' -88 run differential is currently the worst in baseball.
Before the game, general manager Ben Cherington did his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan. During it, he and Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown discussed the topic of improving at the major-league level. Below is the question and answer, presented in full:
BROWN: "Are you seeing tangible evidence of these improvements at the big-league level? We're at the quarter pole now, Ben, just about 40 games in. And you've talked a lot about the most important thing, winning games, certainly at the big-league level. What areas are you seeing improvements in and where do you think the team still has work to do?"
CHERINGTON: "We do see progress. We certainly have a lot of work to do to get better. That’ll never stop. But we are seeing real progress in specific areas this year.
"I think I’d start with, on a team level, just how we are making decisions. How we are preparing for games and making decisions inside the games. You can call it deployment. You can call it whatever you want. I’m really encouraged by the way we’re making decisions in terms of who’s in the lineup, when the pitcher's in the game, when the pitcher’s out of the game, the strategy. That is something … when you’re really good at that stuff, and you have lots of good players, then the strategy is amplified. Because you have lots of good players to take advantage of the strategy. That turns into winning.
"But as we’re building our roster, that development of our strategy and the way we’re deploying and the way we’re preparing for games and using information is really critical that we improve that process while we’re building our roster. At the same time, so that our roster gets stronger and deeper and better over time, the strategy is there to support it.
"So I feel really good about how we’re doing that, the effort our staff puts in every day, I think we’re giving ourselves a chance. When we have a chance to win games, we’re giving ourselves every chance to do that by the decisions we’re making inside the game. Sometimes that’s less traditional. Sometimes that means the pitcher is in a spot or not in a spot that maybe traditionally they would have been. Sometimes that means a position player is out of a game or in a game in a spot that would have been less traditional.
"It helps, of course, especially on the position player side, and I think recently as we’ve had some injuries and have played a little bit shorter, you’ve seen that show up where we have … it’s harder for Shelty and the staff to create those matchup options offensively and move guys around the way we were earlier the season. You see that show up in games where it’s a reminder to me of the importance of having a full, deep set of position players so that every game we can match up, we can create the most optimal matchups possible, make in-game decisions to create better matchups. When you’re short-handed and beat up a little bit, it’s harder to do that. Guys are maybe exposed, extended a little bit. That’s a priority for us over the next few weeks, to try and get back to a little bit more stable position-player group, deeper position-player group so Shelty can do that.
"So I would start there. I would start with how we’re preparing for games, deployment strategy, strategy inside games. I think we’re giving ourselves to win the games that we have a chance to win. Before we get into individual skill development, that’s where I would start."
MORE FROM THE GAME
• To Wilson's credit, he did not give up a lot of hard contact, but the Cardinals didn't need it. He walked a pair and allowed six hits before being pulled with two outs in the second.
"Just didn’t execute like I should have," Wilson said.
Wilson continues to have dramatic splits between being a starter and a reliever. In his five starts, he has a 12.06 ERA (20 earned runs in 15 2/3 innings), a .382 batting average allowed with 12 strikeouts and 11 walks.
In three outings as a reliever, he has a 2.08 ERA (three earned runs over 13 innings), a .216 batting average allowed and three walks to 12 strikeouts.
"I think that's something we'll look at," Derek Shelton said about his performance as a starter or reliever. "We have used him in both roles, roles and we have to continue to explore what's the best fit for him moving forward."
• Cardinals starter Steven Matz was removed before finishing his first batter faced Sunday with shoulder stiffness. The bullpen picked him up, with rookie Angel Rodon going five innings and T.J. McFarland going three. They allowed a combined four hits and four walks, striking out a half dozen.
• This was the eighth time this season that the Pirates have lost by at least six runs. Their record is 16-24, meaning they lost by at least six in 20% of their games played.
"We have to play better," Shelton said. "We just didn't play well. We didn't play well in this series. We didn't play well against a really good team. I think that just speaks to execution. We have to be better offensively."
• Albert Pujols went deep twice, once against Chase De Jong and the other off Josh VanMeter, who pitched the ninth. The one in the fifth off De Jong was vintage Pujols:
Off the bench and out of the yard! pic.twitter.com/nOALeoa1Uf
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 22, 2022
• Also on the 93.7 The Fan radio show Sunday, Cherington said that Kevin Newman has experienced a setback in his rehab, which is why he has returned to PNC Park. He felt it in his hamstring -- different from the groin injury he is rehabbing -- and that it is believed to be on the minor side.
Additionally, Henry Davis has a small fracture in his left wrist, which he is believed to have happened before his promotion to Class AA Altoona. Cherington says he should return before too long.
• Factoid of the game: This marks the second time this season the Pirates have lost by at least 14 runs, the other coming April 23 against the Cubs (21-0).
According to Stathead, dating back to at least 1901, the Pirates have never had three such losses in a season. The other times they had multiple were: 1926, 1944, 1992, 2000 and 2010.
THE ESSENTIALS
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• Schedule
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THE HIGHLIGHTS
THE INJURIES
• 10-day injured list: OF Jake Marisnick (thumb), SS Kevin Newman (groin)
• 60-day injured list: OF Greg Allen (hamstring), RHP Blake Cederlind (UCL), RHP Nick Mears (elbow surgery), Roberto Pérez (hamstring, out for season)
THE LINEUPS
Shelton's card:
1. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
2. Bryan Reynolds, CF
3. Michael Chavis, 1B
4. Ben Gamel, LF
5. Diego Castillo, RF
6. Yoshi Tsutsugo, DH
7. Rodolfo Castro, SS
8. Josh VanMeter, 2B
9. Tyler Heineman, C
And for Ollie Marmol's Cardinals:
1. Tommy Edman, SS
2. Nolan Gorman, 2B
3. Nolan Arenado, 3B
4. Juan Yepez, LF
5. Bredan Donovan, RF
6. Edmundo Sosa, 3B
7. Corey Dickerson, LF
8. Andrew Knizner, C
9. Harrison Bader, CF
Every single player in that lineup for the Cardinals had a hit, including Pujols, drove in a run and scored a run.
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates will be playing host old friend Chad Kuhl (3-2, 3.86) and the Rockies Monday. JT Brubaker (0-4, 5.50) will deliver the first pitch at 6:35 p.m. I've got you covered.
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