On a rainy evening, the Major League Baseball (MLB) fans packed inside the Busch Stadium were treated to a scintillating baseball game between the Cardinals and the Cubs. The Cardinals started their scoring in the third when Matt Carpenter hit a fly to plate Dexter Fowler, the new and exciting Cardinals’ center fielder. The team bat to score their first home runs for the season opener hitting a one out in the bottom of the ninth.
Grichuk walk-off single lifts Cardinals over Cubs
Cardinals' Carpenter on the pitch threatened while attempting an aggressive ground ball play.
However, he ended with only two runners to show for his effort. The weather condition plays a huge factor when a wet ball slipped from his hand after he reached inside his wet gloves to bowl out the leading Chicago Cubs runner that was on second base but the slippage of the ball prevents him from hitting the base.
Jason Heyward on that play made a mad dash to the plate and managed a tying run. Then batsman Wilson Contreras masterfully tied the game at three with a 1-2 pitch that flew over the left wall of the field. However, while the St. Louis Cardinals were unable to capitalize on many other opportunities, they stranded 14 Cubs runners.in addition, Randal Crichuk offensive plays were impeccable.
Carlos Martinez adds to the Cubs' woes with a series of beautiful 7 1/3 dominant innings. Martinez with six hits and no walks added 10 strikeouts. You can definitely call him “the closure” Seung Hwan Oh gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead after entering the game with one out and two on.
The closure, Oh, escaped without harm while leaving the loaded bases stranded, but in the ninth, he was ineffective as it did not go well for the Cardinals.
With every single run needed to win the match, Grichuck in the bottom of the eighth innings took a 2-Run Homer, which extends the Cardinals lead to 3.
Cardinals' Grichuk powers season-opening win
The winning play came late in the ninth, when the St. Louis players had all bases loaded and two outs. At this point, Grichuck stepped to the plate and smacked the game-winning ball across the left wall of the field.
Additionally, Jon Lester allowed one run and managed 5 innings.
And while the wet weather contributes to a larger lead slipping through the wet hands of the Cardinal players; Girchuck later provided a walk-off single in fine style, this handed the Missouri-based team the win over the Chicago Cubs, the defending MLB champion, who was sent in from the rain with this season opener game loss.
The series between the Cubs and Cardinals will resume on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.
