Blog

The Cardinal Chronicle Kyle Leahy Gets the Ball as Cardinals Try to Avoid Sweep&nbsp; St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinals have reached the part of the weekend where the fans just want them to win the finale.After dropping the first two games of their weekend series against the Miami Marlins at Busch Stadium, St. Louis returns Sunday afternoon trying to avoid a sweep and stop a slide that has turned a long homestand into something closer to a warning light.First pitch is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. CT at Busch Stadium, with right-hander Kyle Leahy getting the ball for the Cardinals against Miami right-hander Tyler Phillips.The Marlins have taken the first two games of the series by scores of 4-0 and 5-1. That means the Cardinals have scored one run in 18 innings against Miami, and that lone run came Saturday night on a Masyn Winn RBI single. For a club trying to stay in the National League race, that is not nearly enough offense, especially at home.Friday night was a wasted pitching effort from Michael McGreevy. Saturday night was not much better. Andre Pallante gave the Cardinals length, working into the seventh inning, but Miami stacked hits, put pressure on the defense and kept adding on. Pallante allowed a career-high 11 hits and five runs in 6 2/3 innings, and the Cardinals again spent most of the night trying to find an offense that never really arrived.That has been the difference in this series.Miami has played clean, confident baseball. St. Louis has looked flat, tight and a half-step late.The Marlins come into Sunday as one of the hottest clubs in baseball, having won four straight and eight of their last nine. They are also 18-5 in June, the best mark in the majors this month. That is not a fluke weekend. That is a team playing with rhythm, energy and belief.The Cardinals, meanwhile, have lost four straight and seven of their last nine. That is not panic territory by itself, but it is absolutely attention-getting territory. The standings still matter, and the Cardinals are still in the race, but contenders cannot keep letting winnable home series drift away.Now Leahy gets the assignment of stopping the skid.Leahy enters at 5-4 with a 4.24 ERA and 62 strikeouts. His season has had its uneven stretches, but Sunday gives him a clean, simple job: give the Cardinals a competitive start, keep Miami from jumping out early, and do not force the offense to chase from the first few innings.That is especially important against a Marlins team that has been excellent at applying pressure. Miami does not need to beat a club with one big swing. The Marlins have done plenty of damage with contact, speed, stolen bases and timely hits. Xavier Edwards, Otto Lopez and Javier Sanoja have made life difficult by getting on base and forcing the issue. Kyle Stowers has driven in runs. Liam Hicks gives them power. This is a lineup that can make an inning messy if pitchers start giving them extra chances.Leahy has to stay ahead.No free passes. No leadoff walks. No middle-middle mistakes when Miami has traffic. The Marlins have already shown they will make the Cardinals pay for those.Phillips comes in at 1-2 with a 3.09 ERA and 49 strikeouts. His overall numbers are solid, and he gives Miami another right-hander capable of keeping a struggling Cardinals lineup uncomfortable if St. Louis starts chasing. The Cardinals cannot afford to let him cruise.That means the offensive approach has to change immediately.The Cardinals need traffic from the top of the order. They need JJ Wetherholt and Masyn Winn creating pressure. They need Jordan Walker to be a real threat in the middle. They need Alec Burleson to keep finding ways on base. Burleson reached base for the 25th consecutive game Saturday, and that kind of consistency matters, but one steady bat cannot carry a lineup by itself.St. Louis needs more from everyone.Iván Herrera, Lars Nootbaar, Blaze Jordan, Jimmy Crooks and the bottom half of the lineup all have to make Miami work. This is not the day for quick outs and comfortable innings. Phillips needs to feel traffic early. The Marlins’ defense needs to be tested. Their bullpen needs to be involved before the game is already tilted.The Cardinals also need to clean up the details.The last week has brought too many games where one bad inning, one late leak or one empty offensive night has carried the story. That is the difference between a team hanging around and a team actually strengthening its position. The Cardinals are still contenders because the standings say they are in the race. But the baseball has to tighten up if they want that label to mean anything beyond late-June conversation.Sunday is not about style.It is not about winning a debate. It is not about proving the roster is finished, because it is not.It is about avoiding a sweep at home.It is about giving Leahy some early support.It is about stopping Miami’s momentum before the Marlins leave St. Louis with three straight wins.The Cardinals have played too much meaningful baseball this season to let one bad week speak for the whole club. But they also cannot pretend this stretch has not exposed some real issues. The pitching has been uneven. The offense has gone quiet at the wrong time. The margin for error has shrunk.That makes Sunday simple.Get a lead.Hold the lead.Win the finale.Sometimes baseball does not need a long sermon.Sometimes it just needs some players to step up.Game Info Matchup: Miami Marlins at St. Louis Cardinals When: Sunday, June 28, 2026 First pitch: 1:15 p.m. CT Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis Probable Pitchers: RHP Tyler Phillips vs. RHP Kyle Leahy Phillips: 1-2, 3.09 ERA, 49 SO Leahy: 5-4, 4.24 ERA, 62 SO Records: Marlins 44-39; Cardinals 42-38 Broadcast: Cardinals.TV / KMOX / WIJR The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Kyle Leahy, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Kyle Leahy Gets the Ball as Cardinals Try to Avoid Sweep

The Cardinal Chronicle Daily Farm Report St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurFarm Report: Springfield Shuts Out Northwest Arkansas, Peoria Steals Late WinThe Cardinals’ full-season minor league affiliates went 2-2 on Saturday, with Springfield and Peoria picking up wins while Memphis and Palm Beach both dropped games.Springfield delivered the cleanest win of the night, blanking Northwest Arkansas 4-0 at Route 66 Stadium. Peoria found a way late, scoring two runs in the ninth inning to beat Beloit 4-3 on the road.Memphis lost another tight one at Jacksonville, falling 4-3 after leading into the late innings. Palm Beach finally cooled off against Bradenton, losing 13-4 after opening the week with 54 runs and 58 hits through the series.It was a split night across the system.Springfield had the shutout.Peoria had the late steal.Memphis let one slip away.Palm Beach took a hard reset after a loud offensive week.Memphis Redbirds Record: 48-32 overall, International League West Second Half: 1-4 Standings: 2026 International League First Half Champions Result: Jacksonville 4, Memphis 3Memphis had the lead.Jacksonville had the final answer.The Redbirds lost 4-3 to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Saturday night at VyStar Ballpark, dropping their fourth straight game after opening the second half with a 10-inning win earlier in the week.This one turned late.Memphis opened the scoring in the second inning after Nolan Gorman, Yohel Pozo and Ramón Mendoza drew three walks to load the bases. Noah Mendlinger came through with a two-run single, giving the Redbirds a 2-0 lead.Memphis added another run in the fifth when Mendlinger, Victor Scott II and Thomas Saggese walked to load the bases. César Prieto brought home the third run with a sacrifice fly, giving the Redbirds a 3-0 lead.That should have been enough to put Memphis in position to finish.It was not.Jacksonville cut the deficit to 3-2 in the sixth inning on a two-run homer by Johnny Olmstead off Quinn Mathews. The Jumbo Shrimp then took the lead in the seventh when Ethan O’Donnell delivered a two-run double after a walk, a single, a bunt and an error helped load the bases.That swing gave Jacksonville the lead for good.For Memphis, the frustration is not just the loss. It is the way the series has started to stack up. The Redbirds have already clinched the International League First Half Championship, but the second half has opened with some uneven baseball.A 1-4 second-half start is not a crisis.But it is a reminder.Memphis has enough talent to win close games. The Redbirds have already proved that. Saturday was one they had in hand, and Jacksonville took it away late.Springfield Cardinals Record: 35-38 overall, Texas League North Second Half: 4-1 Standings: Texas League North Result: Springfield 4, Northwest Arkansas 0Springfield keeps rolling.The Cardinals shut out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 4-0 on Saturday night at Route 66 Stadium, giving Springfield its fourth straight win and another strong second-half result.This was the cleanest game in the system.The offense did not have to explode the way it did in Friday’s doubleheader sweep. It just had to keep adding on while the pitching staff kept Northwest Arkansas off the board.Springfield scored once in the fourth inning, once in the sixth and twice in the eighth to build the 4-0 final.That is a good formula.Score first.Keep pitching.Add late.Finish it.After losing the series opener to Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday, Springfield has answered with four straight wins: 7-1 on Wednesday, a 7-5 and 14-2 doubleheader sweep on Friday, and now a 4-0 shutout on Saturday.That is the kind of turnaround that changes a series.The Cardinals have started the second half 4-1, and the pitching staff deserves the headline here. A shutout in Double-A is always worth noting, especially after a week that included a doubleheader and plenty of bullpen management.Springfield did not just win Saturday.It controlled the game.That matters.The Cardinals’ offense has shown plenty of life in this series, but Saturday was more about the mound. Northwest Arkansas never found the big inning, never broke through and never forced Springfield to chase the game.That is how a club builds momentum.Peoria Chiefs Record: 36-37 overall, Midwest League West Second Half: 4-3 Standings: Midwest League West Result: Peoria 4, Beloit 3Peoria stole one late.The Chiefs beat the Beloit Sky Carp 4-3 on Saturday night at ABC Supply Stadium, scoring two runs in the ninth inning on a throwing error to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run win.This one had some old-school road grit to it.Peoria scored first in the top of the first inning. José Suárez jumped on the first pitch of the game and drove it off the top of the right-field wall for a double. Two batters later, Jalin Flores brought him home with a sacrifice fly.That gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.Beloit answered in the second on a solo home run by Cody Schrier, then took a 3-1 lead in the third on a two-run single by Chase Jaworsky.Leonel Sequera settled in after that. The right-hander held Beloit to those three runs through 5.1 innings, keeping Peoria close enough for the late rally.That mattered.The Chiefs cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fifth. Christian Martin, Suárez and Cade McGee opened the inning with three straight singles, with McGee driving in a run. Peoria had a chance for more, but stranded runners at second and third.That missed opportunity could have defined the night.It did not.José Davila threw 1.2 scoreless innings in relief, and Dominic Freeberger added a scoreless inning to keep the game at 3-2 into the ninth.Then Peoria found the break it needed.Jose Cordoba led off the ninth with a single. After a flyout, Suárez singled to center, putting runners at the corners with one out. With McGee at the plate, Suárez broke for second. Beloit catcher Wilson Weber pump-faked toward second, then tried to throw behind Cordoba at third.The throw went down the left-field line.Cordoba scored.Suárez scored.Peoria led 4-3.Bobby Olsen finished it in the bottom of the ninth, striking out two to earn the save.It was not a clean offensive rally in the traditional sense. The Chiefs did not line three doubles into the gap. They pressured the defense, forced a mistake and took advantage of it.That is baseball.Sometimes the winning rally comes from contact.Sometimes it comes from pressure.Sometimes it comes from making the other club make the throw.Peoria did that Saturday.Palm Beach Cardinals Record: 39-35 overall, Florida State League East Second Half: 6-2 Standings: Florida State League East Result: Bradenton 13, Palm Beach 4Palm Beach finally hit a wall against Bradenton.After beating the Marauders in the first four games of the series and improving to 10-0 against Bradenton this season, the Cardinals fell 13-4 on Saturday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.The Cardinals, playing as the Frozen Iguanas, scored first in the bottom of the second inning. Heriberto Caraballo hit a sacrifice fly to score Matthew Miura, giving Palm Beach a 1-0 lead.Then Bradenton took over.Palm Beach starter Payton Graham ran into trouble in the third inning. Two walks, a miscommunication in the outfield and several run-scoring plate appearances helped Bradenton take a 4-1 lead.The Marauders added another run in the fourth, another in the fifth and another in the sixth to stretch the lead to 7-1.Palm Beach got one back in the bottom of the sixth when Alex Birge hit his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field that cut the deficit to 7-2.But the game got away in the seventh.Bradenton sent 12 batters to the plate and scored six runs, highlighted by Antonio Pimentel’s two-run triple. That pushed the lead to 13-2 and put the game out of reach.Palm Beach added a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Chase Heath and one more in the ninth on an RBI single from Brayden Smith, but the deficit was too much.It was a rough night.Still, the week should not be buried under one bad result.Palm Beach set new series highs with 54 runs and 58 hits against Bradenton. The Cardinals are 6-2 in the second half and had spent most of the week turning deficits into crooked-number rallies.Saturday was different.The bats did not fully catch up.The pitching could not stop the middle innings.The Marauders finally punched back.Player of the Day José Suárez, Peoria ChiefsJosé Suárez is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Player of the Day after putting himself in the middle of Peoria’s 4-3 win over Beloit.Suárez helped start the night the right way, doubling off the top of the right-field wall on the first pitch of the game and scoring on Jalin Flores’ sacrifice fly.He came back in the fifth inning with another hit as part of Peoria’s rally that cut Beloit’s lead to 3-2.Then he helped decide the game in the ninth.With Jose Cordoba at third base and Suárez at first, Suárez broke for second base. That forced a defensive decision from Beloit catcher Wilson Weber, whose throw behind Cordoba sailed down the left-field line.Cordoba scored.Suárez scored.Peoria led 4-3.That was the game.It was not the cleanest game-winning rally you will ever see, but Suárez was in the middle of it from the first pitch to the ninth inning.That is impact.Noah Mendlinger deserves strong mention after driving in two runs for Memphis in the Redbirds’ 4-3 loss at Jacksonville. Alex Birge also deserves mention after homering for Palm Beach, and Springfield’s offense deserves credit for doing enough in a 4-0 shutout win over Northwest Arkansas.But Suárez had the best full-game offensive impact.A first-pitch double.Multiple hits.Two runs scored.The pressure play that helped Peoria win it.That earns the honor.Pitcher of the Day Springfield Cardinals Pitching StaffThe Pitcher of the Day honor goes to the Springfield Cardinals pitching staff after a 4-0 shutout win over Northwest Arkansas.Some nights, the best pitching performance is not about one name.It is about the staff.Springfield put up nine zeroes Saturday night, holding the Naturals off the board and giving the Cardinals their fourth straight win.That is the kind of staff effort that deserves the top pitching note.Peoria had important pitching work, too. Leonel Sequera settled in after a rocky early stretch and kept the Chiefs close through 5.1 innings. José Davila and Dominic Freeberger followed with scoreless relief, and Bobby Olsen struck out two in the ninth to close Peoria’s 4-3 win.But Springfield had the shutout.Four runs of support were more than enough because the Cardinals’ pitchers gave Northwest Arkansas nothing.That gets the nod.Old School TakeThere is more than one way to win a night on the farm.Springfield won it clean.Peoria won it ugly.Both count.Springfield put nine zeroes on the board and kept building momentum after Friday’s doubleheader sweep. Peoria put pressure on the defense in the ninth inning and walked away with a road win.Memphis had a lead and let it slip.Palm Beach finally cooled off after beating up Bradenton all week.That is minor league baseball.One night it is a two-homer hero.One night it is a shutout.One night it is a catcher’s throw down the left-field line.You take the wins where you can get them. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>

Farm Report: Springfield Shuts Out Northwest Arkansas, Peoria Steals Win

The Cardinal Chronicle Who’s Hot, Who’s Cold: Brayden Smith &amp; Jacob Odle Headline this Report St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurFriday brings another snapshot of the Cardinals’ farm system, and this week’s Who’s Hot, Who’s Cold features breakout performances and a few rough patches.Who’s Hot — HittersBrayden Smith (Low-A, 2B): Smith lit up the scoreboard, going 7-for-13 (.538) with two homers, a triple, and seven RBIs. He scored five runs and stole two bases, boasting a massive 1.831 OPS.Sebastian Dos Santos (Low-A, SS): Dos Santos crossed the plate nine times in five games, hitting .389 with a homer, four steals, and a 1.111 OPS.Ryan Weingartner (Low-A, 2B): Weingartner only hit .250 but made his hits count with two homers, six RBIs, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases, posting a .918 OPS.Who’s Hot — PitchersJacob Odle (High-A): Odle was untouchable, throwing six no-hit innings with eight strikeouts. Despite four walks, he posted a 0.00 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP.Mason Molina (AA): Molina tossed 6.2 innings, allowing just three hits and no earned runs while striking out five and walking none. His WHIP was a minuscule 0.45.Yhoiker Fajardo (High-A): Fajardo struck out nine in five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) with a 1.80 ERA and a 0.60 WHIP.Who’s Cold — HittersCade McGee (High-A, C): McGee struggled mightily, going 0-for-12 with six strikeouts and a .077 OPS.Thomas Saggese (AAA, SS): Saggese hit just .118 (2-for-17) with one RBI and a .284 OPS.Victor Scott II (AAA, CF): Scott hit just .125 (2-for-16) with seven strikeouts and no RBIs, managing a .364 OPS.Who’s Cold — PitchersPete Hansen (AAA): Hansen had a rough outing, allowing seven earned runs and three homers in 3.2 innings, with a 17.18 ERA.Jared Shuster (AAA): Shuster gave up six earned runs in four innings, walking three, for a 13.50 ERA.Hunter Dobbins (AAA): Dobbins allowed four earned runs in four innings, with three walks, posting a 9.00 ERA.Baseball is a long season, and every week is another vote. This one belonged to some Low-A hitters and a couple of dominant pitching performances. On the cold side, a few upper-level names have some adjustments to make. That’s the rhythm of the farm.The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>

Who’s Hot, Who’s Cold: Brayden Smith & Jacob Odle Headline this Report

The Cardinal Chronicle Cardinals Waste McGreevy’s Strong Start, Fall to Marlins 4-0 St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurMichael McGreevy gave the St. Louis Cardinals every chance Friday night.The offense gave him nothing.The bullpen could not hold the line late, Max Meyer continued his unbeaten run, and the Cardinals opened their weekend series against the Miami Marlins with a 4-0 loss at Busch Stadium.It was a pitcher’s duel for seven innings.Then it became another frustrating Cardinals loss.McGreevy was excellent. He worked six scoreless innings, allowed five hits, walked one and struck out four. He threw 94 pitches, 56 for strikes, and kept Miami off the board despite having to work harder than Meyer across the field.That was the difference in the starting matchup.Meyer was not just good. He was efficient. The Miami right-hander went seven scoreless innings, allowed only two hits, walked two and struck out five. He needed just 89 pitches to get through seven, and for most of the night, the Cardinals never made him uncomfortable enough to change the direction of the game.That is the hard part of this one.St. Louis did get a quality start. The Cardinals did get the kind of outing from McGreevy that should have been enough to win a tight game at home. They did keep the Marlins off the board through seven innings.But the offense never arrived.The Cardinals finished with only three hits: singles from Jordan Walker and Lars Nootbaar, plus a late double from José Fermín. That was it. No extra-base threat until the eighth. No sustained pressure. No crooked inning. No big swing. No real answer for Meyer.For a team trying to stop a rough stretch, that made the night feel even heavier.Miami threatened early but could not break through against McGreevy. In the first inning, Griffin Conine walked and Kyle Stowers singled, putting runners on the corners. McGreevy answered by getting Otto Lopez to line out to right, ending the threat and keeping the game scoreless.He continued to manage traffic from there.The Marlins put runners aboard in the second, fourth and fifth, but McGreevy kept making pitches when he needed them. One of his sharper moments came in the fifth when he picked off Esteury Ruiz at first base, erasing a runner and helping himself out of another inning.That is pitching.It was not overpowering, but it was composed. McGreevy changed speeds, worked through contact, and kept the Cardinals in a game where one run might have meant everything.The problem was that St. Louis could not find that one run.The Cardinals’ best chance came in the seventh. Iván Herrera was hit by a pitch to open the inning, and Alec Burleson walked. Jordan Walker grounded into a fielder’s choice, leaving runners at first and third with one out. Lars Nootbaar then worked a walk to load the bases.Busch Stadium finally had a moment.Masyn Winn came up with a chance to break the scoreless tie, but he grounded to short, and Herrera was forced out at the plate. Nathan Church followed with a lineout to left, and the inning ended with the bases left full.That was the game’s turning point.The Cardinals had finally gotten Meyer into trouble, but they could not finish the inning. When a pitcher like Meyer gives a team one real opening, that opening has to be taken. St. Louis let it pass.Miami did not.JoJo Romero handled the seventh cleanly after McGreevy exited, keeping the game scoreless. But in the eighth, George Soriano entered and the Marlins finally broke through.Ruiz singled to open the inning and stole second. Graham Pauley followed with a double deep to right, scoring Ruiz and giving Miami a 1-0 lead. After a short rain delay, Soriano returned to the mound and tried to limit the damage, but the inning kept dragging.Conine and Xavier Edwards walked, loading the bases. Stowers then grounded to first. Burleson stepped on the bag and fired home, where Herrera applied the tag on Pauley. The initial call was out, but after review, the call was overturned, and Miami had a 2-0 lead.That one stung.In a game where runs were almost impossible to find, Miami had two. The Cardinals still had none.The Marlins added on in the ninth against Max Rajcic. Joe Mack walked, Ruiz walked, and Jakob Marsee singled to center, scoring both runners and stretching Miami’s lead to 4-0. That turned a tight pitcher’s duel into a much more comfortable Marlins finish.Calvin Faucher handled the ninth for Miami, and the Cardinals went quietly.The final line was simple and sharp: Marlins 4 runs, 8 hits, no errors; Cardinals 0 runs, 3 hits, no errors.Miami did not homer. It did not need to. The Marlins used speed, walks, contact and late execution to win the game. Ruiz scored twice and stole two bases. Pauley doubled in the first run. Stowers drove in the second. Marsee drove in the final two.The Cardinals, meanwhile, could not cash in their one big chance and did not create enough smaller ones.That is how a strong start gets wasted.McGreevy deserved better. He gave the Cardinals six scoreless innings against a Miami club playing good baseball. Romero did his job in the seventh. But Soriano took the loss after allowing two runs in the eighth, and Rajcic allowed two more in the ninth.The bullpen did not completely implode, but it lost the margin.When the offense scores zero, the margin is microscopic.This was not a night where St. Louis was beaten by one defensive mistake or one unlucky bounce. This was a night where the Cardinals simply did not hit enough. Meyer controlled the game. Miami’s bullpen finished it. And the Cardinals were left with another quiet offensive night at Busch Stadium.After Thursday’s rainout and the rotation shuffle that pushed McGreevy into this series opener, the Cardinals needed a clean reset. They got the starting pitching portion of it.They did not get the rest.That is the frustration.The Cardinals are now 42-37, and the Marlins moved to 43-39. The series continues Saturday night, with Dustin May expected to get the ball for St. Louis.The Cardinals do not need to overcomplicate the lesson from Friday night.McGreevy gave them a chance.The offense did not take it.The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Michael McGreevy, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Cardinals Waste McGreevy’s Strong Start, Fall to Marlins 4-0

The Cardinal Chronicle Pallante Gets the Ball as Cardinals Look to Answer Marlins’ Shutout St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurThe Cardinals got the reset they needed from Thursday’s rainout.They did not do much with it Friday night.After being shut out 4-0 by the Miami Marlins in the opener of the weekend series at Busch Stadium, St. Louis returns Saturday night looking to get the offense moving again and even the series before Sunday’s finale.First pitch is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. CT at Busch Stadium, with right-hander Andre Pallante getting the ball for the Cardinals against Miami right-hander Ryan Gusto.The pitching matchup changed after Dustin May, who had originally been expected to start for St. Louis, skipped the turn because of back tightness. That pushes Pallante into the spotlight on a night when the Cardinals need a steady start, a cleaner offensive approach and a much better response than they showed in Friday’s opener.Friday night was not complicated.Max Meyer shut down the Cardinals, working seven scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. Michael McGreevy matched him for six innings in a strong effort of his own, but St. Louis never found the swing or the inning it needed. The Cardinals had a chance in the seventh, loading the bases with one out, but came away empty. Miami broke through late, then added on, and the Cardinals finished the night with just three hits.That kind of loss leaves very little mystery.The starting pitching was good enough.The offense was not.Now Pallante gets the assignment of keeping the Cardinals from dropping the first two games of a home series they badly need to handle. He enters at 9-4 with a 3.59 ERA and has been one of the more dependable arms in the rotation. Pallante does not win with flash. He wins by competing in the zone, getting ground balls, limiting free passes and forcing hitters to earn their way on base.That formula fits Saturday’s need perfectly.The Cardinals do not need Pallante to be a superhero. They need him to be himself. Work ahead. Keep the ball on the ground. Avoid the big inning. Give the offense time to wake up. After the lineup went quiet Friday, the last thing St. Louis needs is to be chasing early against a Miami club that has already taken the opener.Gusto enters at 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA and 16 strikeouts. Those numbers suggest an opportunity for the Cardinals, but only if they approach it the right way. St. Louis cannot turn a pitcher’s uneven record into an excuse for lazy at-bats. Gusto still has enough stuff to get outs if the Cardinals chase early, expand the zone or let him settle into a rhythm.The Cardinals need to make him work.That means traffic from the top of the order. It means better situational hitting than Friday. It means not wasting scoring chances when they arrive. It means getting the baseball off the barrel and forcing Miami to defend.Jordan Walker remains the biggest power threat in the lineup, and the Cardinals need his presence in the middle of the order to matter. Alec Burleson continues to be one of the club’s steadier bats, but he cannot carry the offense alone. JJ Wetherholt needs to get back to setting the table. Masyn Winn’s speed and contact can create pressure. Blaze Jordan, Jimmy Crooks and the lower half of the order have to make Miami pay if the Marlins pitch around the middle.The Cardinals’ lineup has shown enough this season to believe it can be dangerous.But dangerous lineups still have to execute.Friday’s loss was a reminder that hits without timing — or no hits at all — make every pitching mistake feel heavier. The Cardinals do not need to score ten runs Saturday. They need to score first, extend innings and give Pallante some breathing room.Miami is not a club to dismiss. The Marlins came into this series playing competitive baseball, and they showed Friday they can win with pitching and late execution. They may not carry the national attention of some bigger-name opponents, but they are in the same National League traffic as St. Louis. That makes this series matter.The Cardinals are still contenders.They are also still flawed.That has been the theme of this season. They have enough young talent to make the future feel close. They have enough wins to make the present matter. But they also have enough uneven pitching, offensive dry spells and late-inning stress to keep everything from feeling comfortable.Saturday is another chance to show which direction this club is leaning.Pallante gives them a good arm to answer with. The offense gets a matchup it should be able to compete against. The bullpen should be lined up behind Pallante if he can give them length. The crowd at Busch Stadium should be ready for something better than Friday night’s quiet three-hit effort.The Cardinals do not need a speech.They need baserunners.They need timely contact.They need Pallante to steady the night.And they need to win a game at home against a Marlins club that already took the opener.The rainout gave the Cardinals a pause.Friday wasted it.Saturday gives them a chance to answer.Game Info Matchup: Miami Marlins at St. Louis Cardinals When: Saturday, June 27, 2026 First pitch: 6:15 p.m. CT Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis Probable Pitchers: RHP Ryan Gusto vs. RHP Andre Pallante Gusto: 0-2, 6.00 ERA, 16 SO Pallante: 9-4, 3.59 ERA, 64 SO Broadcast: Cardinals.TV / KMOX / WIJRThe Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Andre Pallante, St. Louis Cardinals | MLB

Pallante Gets the Ball as Cardinals Look to Answer Marlins’ Shutout

The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Player of the Day: Trevor Haskins St. Louis, MO By Ray MileurTrevor Haskins is starting to stack big nights.For the second straight day, Haskins is The Cardinal Chronicle’s Minor League Player of the Day after helping lead Palm Beach to a 12-10 comeback win over the Bradenton Marauders on Friday night at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.One night after hitting two home runs in Palm Beach’s 8-5 win over Bradenton, Haskins came right back with another impact game.This time, it came in the middle of a comeback.Palm Beach led 1-0 after the first inning, but Bradenton scored six runs in the second and added another run in the third to put the Cardinals in a 7-2 hole.That could have been the night.It was not.Haskins helped change it.With Palm Beach still trailing 7-2 in the sixth inning, Haskins launched a two-run home run to left field, his third homer in two nights. The swing cut the deficit to 7-4 and brought the Cardinals back within striking distance.It did not finish the comeback.It made the comeback feel possible.Then Haskins delivered again in the seventh.After Yairo Padilla and Ryan Mitchell opened the inning with back-to-back doubles, Ian Petrutz added an RBI single, and Alex Birge tied the game with a double down the right-field line. That brought Haskins back to the plate with the game tied.He came through with a broken-bat, two-run single to center field, giving Palm Beach a 9-7 lead.That was the biggest hit of the night.Palm Beach later added three more runs in the eighth and held on for the 12-10 win, clinching the series and improving to 10-0 against Bradenton this season.Haskins finished with four RBIs, a two-run homer and the go-ahead two-run single.That is why he gets the honor again.Back-to-back Player of the Day awards are not given because of momentum or name recognition. They are earned by production, timing and impact.Haskins had all three.On Thursday, he hit two home runs, including a late insurance homer after Bradenton had cut the Palm Beach lead to two runs.On Friday, he hit a two-run homer to pull the Cardinals back into the game, then delivered the go-ahead two-run single in the seventh.That is a player showing up in leverage spots.Ryan Weingartner deserves strong mention after driving in the first run of the game and later adding a two-run home run in the eighth. Heriberto Caraballo homered. Alex Birge delivered the game-tying double. Palm Beach’s entire lineup had at least one hit and one run scored, with seven hitters collecting at least two hits.Springfield had several strong offensive performances in its doubleheader sweep of Northwest Arkansas, including Deniel Ortiz’s three-run homer, Rainiel Rodriguez’s RBI double and production from Brody Moore, Ryan Campos and Jesús Báez.But Haskins had the biggest swings in the biggest comeback.A two-run homer.A go-ahead two-run single.Four RBIs.A second straight Player of the Day honor.That earns the nod.Old School TakeA hot bat is one thing.A hot bat that keeps showing up when the game is still hanging in the balance is something else.Trevor Haskins did it Thursday.Then he did it again Friday.Palm Beach was down five runs, and Haskins helped drag the Cardinals back into the game. Then, with the score tied, he drove in two more to put them ahead.That is impact.That is why Trevor Haskins is The Cardinal Chronicle Minor League Player of the Day for the second straight day. The Cardinal Chronicle, in association with Gateway Sports &amp; MiLB Today Preserving the Past, Promoting the Present, and Projecting the Future.Check out The Cardinal Chronicle for more St. Louis Cardinals coverage, daily farm reports, prospect updates and old-school baseball commentary: <a href="http://www.cardinalchronicle.com">www.cardinalchronicle.com</a>Photo Credit: Trevor Haskins, Palm Beach Cardinals | MLB

MiLB Player of the Day: Trevor Haskins

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle 

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle is dedicated to preserving Cardinals history, covering today’s game, and following the next generation through the minor leagues. Written in the tradition of the old beat writers, it’s baseball with perspective — steady, faithful, and rooted in a lifelong love for the game.

The St. Louis Cardinal Chronicle, Ray Mileur

The Cardinal Notebook

Kyle Leahy Gets the Ball as Cardinals Try to Avoid Sweep

Farm Report: Springfield Shuts Out Northwest Arkansas, Pe...

Who’s Hot, Who’s Cold: Brayden Smith & Jacob Odle Headlin...

Cardinals Waste McGreevy’s Strong Start, Fall to Marlins 4-0

Pallante Gets the Ball as Cardinals Look to Answer Marlin...

MiLB Player of the Day: Trevor Haskins