It was an exciting win for the St. Louis Cardinals as star Nolan Arenado connected on a two-RBI single that ended up being the game-winning hit to put away the Chicago Cubs Saturday night, 5-4. Arenado spoke after the game to talk about his reaction to the clutch hit in the eighth inning while also reflecting on the season so far for the Cardinals.
Saturday was an exhausting day for both teams as they played a doubleheader in what is significant games since the two are rivals and also trying to gain position in the NL Central that is closely separated towards the bottom. Arenado's hit in the eighth inning was important not just for the one game, but for himself as well as he feels “like I haven't done that very much this first half” according to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“It felt great, just to come through for the boys and help us get a win,” Arenado said. “I feel like I haven’t done that very much this first half, so it felt great. That pitcher has a good arm. I was just happy to get a pitch over the plate and hit it hard.”
Arenado admits his struggles this season with the Cardinals
So far this season, Arenado has hit eight home runs and recorded 40 runs batted in (RBIs) all while having a .268 batting average in what has been a down season so far for the 33-year old. The former Colorado Rockies third baseman echoed those same sentiments saying that Saturday's clutch hit was huge and he hopes “it clicks” soon in terms of Arenado producing big games.
“It’s been a tough first half, individually, and I’m just trying to contribute any way I can,” Arenado said. “I may not feel great or may not be doing some of the things that I expect for myself, but I can still help this team win on both sides of the ball. I know that. So that’s what I’m focused on until, God willing, it clicks. I believe that time is coming, and tonight was really great.”
There is no doubt that the Cardinals dugout was hyped to see Arenado deliver in that big of a spot against their bitter rivals in the Cubs. One teammate in St. Louis' leadoff hitter in Masyn Winn, who hit a home run in Saturday night's outing, would call the moment “sick” and “electric.”
“That was sick,” Winn said via The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “That got the whole dugout fired up, especially a big moment. Especially, I think, against this team. He picks his spots, and that was a great spot. Goldy going out there and getting that double, getting second and third and then Nado picking up Donnie, picking up the whole team. That was electric.”
Cardinals manager talks Arenado's clutch hit and team's success
It was a really productive day for the Cardinals as they swept both games of the double header against the Cubs while their featured players showed out at the plate. Winn and St. Louis catcher Wilson Contreras each had a home run, Arenado in his aforementioned sluggish first half of the season had a couple of hits, and even another veteran who has been down this season in Paul Goldschmit had a key double.
“The heart of our order did a really nice job today,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “We hit some homers, we had some big, key hits, we had the Nado [Arenado] single up the middle. It looked right. It has for a while now.”
If there was one aspect of the game that was a bit alarming, it was the performance of starting pitcher for the Cardinals in Kyle Gibson who let go of four earned runs, allowed 10 hits, and walked three batters. All four runs happened in the second inning as Gibson said he can be “one dimensional” at points leading to opposing teams taking advantage.
“I have a tendency to get one dimensional and stop pitching,” Gibson said via The St.Louis Post-Dispatch. “Sitting and talking with Sonny (Gray), talking with (pitching coach) Dusty (Blake) and these other guys, I have a tendency with two outs in that inning to go to my out pitch right away instead of keep pitching and keep making pitches.”
“I’m not a guy that can be one dimensional,” Gibson continued. “I’ve got too many pitches, when they’re working, that set up other things. … That slider itself doesn’t play on its own like it does when other pitches are being thrown.”
Cardinals won't be satisfied unless they head into All-Star break with win
While Gibson would get out of multiple situations later, the bullpen came in and did not allow the Cubs at all to get back in this game. The 36-year old thrower even admitted that the “turning point” was the bullpen performing the way that they did and “putting up five zeros.”
“I think the turning point in the game is the bullpen coming in and putting up five zeros, in my mind,” Gibson said.
St. Louis came into Saturday's double header on a three-game losing streak, so this was exactly what the doctor ordered. Winn would even say after the game that “we won't be happy” unless they head into the All-Star break with a win.
“I think we’ve been playing good ball for a long time,” Winn said. “That little three-game skid, it’s going to happen, but for us to come out here and get both — getting one would have been cool, but getting both is huge. Especially going into (Sunday), we’ve still got one more to go get before this break. If we can walk out of here with a series (win), we won’t be happy unless we do that.”
At any rate, the Cardinals are currently 50-45 which puts them second in the NL Central as they look to win the current series against the Cubs Sunday at 2:15 p.m. (EST).
Follow Us
Subscribe