Cardinals Progressive Game Blog: Third Inning Action

Now that the slightly eventful second inning has ended with a Mark Reynolds groundout as the rain started to pour down on Busch Stadium’s redbird faithful, I come to you with the third inning action. The United Cardinal Bloggers host a progressive game blog once a year and here is where you can find more information and a full lineup of the inning recaps. 

With the Cardinals leading 1-0 on an RBI Jhonny Peralta groundout, Michael Wacha was pitching like one run may just be enough on this rain soaked evening that saw the game delayed by over two hours. There is nothing like being out and about right around the start of a game grocery shopping and sifting through Twitter for game start updates. Once I was home, I didn’t know if I would be able to watch the game due to the coverage of the Boston Red Sox-Texas Rangers game taking precedent down here in Little Rock, Arkansas. Thanks to Fox Sports Go App on my IPhone, I got hooked up just in time for this rather brisk inning of action. What happened exactly? Six hitters took the plate and six hitters were sent packing. The details follow…

Wacha needed only 11 pitches to dispose of the Dodgers in the top of the third. He got Jimmy Rollins to ground out to first baseman Mark Reynolds after two pitches before engaging in a six pitch battle with fellow pitcher Carlos Friars that ended in a strikeout. On the third pitch, Wacha got rid of leadoff hitter/rookie sensation Joc Pederson on a flyout to Matt Holliday.

Wacha continues a dominance that has his season earned run average drop to 1.78. Through four innings, Wacha has thrown 45 pitches and struck out four while walking one batter. His rhythm and pace on the mound is unmatched in the National League. One of the many attributes of his dominance is his ability to work quick.

The young Texas A&M alum led off the bottom half of the third and struck out after a six pitch battle that ended in a swinging strike. Kolten Wong took a ball before flying out to left fielder Scott Van Slyke. Matt Carpenter, who singled in his first at bat and has settled quite nicely into the #2 hole, lined out to centerfielder Pederson after seeing two pitches. Friars, like Wacha, needed just 11 pitches to get through the third inning and has thrown a crisp economical 37 pitches.

Due up in the top half of the 4th inning for the Dodgers are Jacob Turner, Adrian Gonzalez and Howie Kendrick. The Cardinals will send Matt Holliday, Jhonny Peralta and Randal Grichuk to the plate in the bottom half of the inning.

The hope right now is for the Cards and Wacha to record six more outs and make this an official game before the rain comes back in and takes over the remaining part of the evening in downtown St. Louis.

Thanks for reading and check out Doug ‘s page for an insightful breakdown of the 4th inning.

-@buffa82

 

 

Next Post:

Previous Post:

Please share, follow, or like us :)

Subscribe to The Conclave via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 16.3K other subscribers

NL Central Standings

TeamWLPct.GB
Cardinals9369.574 -
Brewers8676.5317.0
Cubs7488.45719.0
Reds62100.38331.0
Pirates62100.38331.0

Last updated: 10/06/2022

Archives