Left-Handed Thunder Lifts Cardinals Past Marlins 5-3

The Cardinal Chronicle
Left-Handed Thunder Lifts Cardinals Past the Marlins
St. Louis, MO
By Ray Mileur

MIAMI — Nathan Church delivered the big swing, Alec Burleson kept the rally going, and Dustin May gave the Cardinals what they needed.

Church’s two-run homer in the fourth and consistently strong at-bats from St. Louis’ left-handed hitters powered the Cardinals to a 5-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday at loanDepot park.

It was a good night for left-handed bats. St. Louis hitters from that side combined for six of the club’s 10 hits and drove in all five runs.

May (3-2) rebounded after a shaky first inning to deliver 5 1/3 innings of one-run baseball, allowing a leadoff homer to Miami rookie Jakob Marsee but then settling in, scattering six hits, walking one, and striking out five.

The Game Turned in the Fourth
Building on their early lead, the Cardinals moved ahead 4-1 by the fourth inning, and Church made sure that advantage held.

Masyn Winn led off the fourth with an infield single. Church then drove a pitch out to right for his second homer, turning a 2-1 lead into a three-run cushion. Church went 2-for-4.

Burleson was consistent at the plate, delivering the first run with an RBI single after JJ Wetherholt opened with a double. He recorded another RBI on a fielder’s choice in the third, then doubled in the fifth and scored on Nolan Gorman’s two-out single for the final run.

Wetherholt scored twice, continuing to spark the offense from the top of the lineup, while Winn went 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to eight games.
The Cardinals went just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position but capitalized on their hits.

Jordan Walker went 0-for-4, snapping his 15-game hitting streak.

Bullpen Holds Late
As the game entered the late innings, the tension rose.

Ryne Stanek walked three to load the bases with two outs before Heriberto Hernández ripped a two-run single, narrowing the lead to 5-3. George Soriano entered and struck out Connor Norby to preserve the lead.

Justin Bruihl pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, bridging the game before the late drama.

Riley O’Brien pitched the ninth, allowing one hit and striking out one for his seventh save in eight tries. He has yet to allow an earned run in 13 1/3 innings this season.

Key Stats
Cardinals left-handed hitters: 6-for-19, 5 Runs - Victor Scott II was the only left-handed hitter without a hit, going 0-for-3 with a walk, and is 2-for-22 over his last 10 games.k and is 2-for-22 over his last 10 games.

Up Next                                                                                                                     The Cardinals (14-9) will look to take the series Wednesday afternoon as right-hander Kyle Leahy (2-2, 5.21 ERA) gets the start against Miami’s Janson Junk (0-2, 4.50 ERA). Miami (11-13) will try to salvage the finale.