Frustrating Loss

Well last night the Cards hung 18 runs on Atlanta, and that was with several starters sitting out the later innings of the game. The obvious story of the game was Wainwright's return to the hill. He not only pitched well, but he hit the ball, too! So after a great game last night came a strange, strange game today....

We started out fine, ahead 3-1 with Albert going 3-3 with a pair of doubles, a homer, and 3 RBI's. Lohse looked like he was finally pitching well again, only giving up one run on an outstanding piece of hitting by Chipper Jones. Then the 6th inning came, Lohse got into trouble, and the Braves picked up a key 2 out, 2 RBI single. With the score tied we moved to later innings, then the strangeness started.

McClellan, who has been so reliable all year, looked like he got squeezed on a called strike three. Wouldn't you know it, the next pitch was singled into the outfield for another big 2 out, 2 RBI hit. In the bottom half of the 8th it looked like the Cards were going to get those runs right back when Mather led off with a double, and scored later on a double by Felipe Lopez. The Atlanta bullpen came in and put out the fire, but the Cards still had a chance, down 5-4 heading into the 9th. The top of the order was up, meaning Pujols would get another plate appearance.

The 9th started off fine. Franklin picked up a couple of outs, but then the rains came, and the weirdness began....

A 49 minute rain delay meant a pitching change. No big deal. Springer entered with 2 outs and a man on first. He walked the first man he faced. Then he induced a seemingly harmless ground ball to second base. Felipe Lopez was waiting, and waiting, and waiting....

Lopez took FOREVER to get the throw over to first. The announcers showed the replay, and Pujols may have been slow getting there. They showed it again and again and again. The bottom line is this: Lopez took too long, and was far too casual. It is a throw from second base to first!!! It wasn't a hard play, but that has been the book on Lopez so far in his career. The guy has a lot of talent, but he hasn't been a good teammate, and he hasn't always played hard. Here we are in the thick of a pennant race, and he turns a routine play into a bases loaded blunder.

It was an anti-Cardinals type of play.

Here was a player from another team hustling down the line, and one of our guys was lolly gagging it out there, allowing him to make something out of nothing.

Well the baseball gods made sure we paid, as the Braves would tack on 3 more runs to make the final score 8-4. This is a tough loss when you are trying to catch a team like the Brewers. I don't want to pile on Lopez, because Pujols may have been partially responsible, but this is not the time of year to have these kinds of mistakes.

Oh well, there is always tomorrow. We need to win this one to win the series, and then we get Milwaukee in what will be two must win games.