OBG's St. Louis Cardinals 2019 Season

[onlybygrace]

Hello. I'm not as cool as you guys as I'm playing this on MLB The Show 16 on PS3--but it's a hella huge upgrade than that which I had as options on XB1. lol

Playing every game with completely updated rosters as of 3-25-19.

Hard settings. I won't have an entire lineup of guys hitting .300+ but will have extremely realistic stats.

So without further hype...LETS PLAY BALL!!!

THIS IS A MASSIVE UPDATE. Most won't be this large.

Marte and Archer Shine On Rainy Opening Day in Pittsburgh

Starling Marte went 4 for 4 with a pair of stolen bases and doubles while Chris Archer would go 8 innings, allowing 7 hits with 7 strike outs, while throwing nearly 100 pitches despite walking nobody.

Kevin Newman drove in 3 runs and Jung-Ho Kang drove in a pair in the win.

Adam Wainwright struggled, only throwing 4 innings, surrendering 7 hits and 4 runs with a pair of strikeouts. The Cards did get an early homer from Dexter Fowler, a 344 foot bomb into the right field bleachers.

----R--H--E
STL 2--7--0 (0-1)
PIT 6-11--0 (1-0)

Bucks Win Again as Cards Starters Continue to Struggle

Micheal Wachas terrible start cost the Cards the game tonight as he was torched for 5 earned runs and 8 hits in 2 1/3 innings. The Cards young bullpen turned the tide after his departure allowing zero runs in 5 2/3 innings, giving up just 4 hits and striking out 7.

The Pirates 3-5 hitters went 9 for 12, drove in 3, and scored 5 runs. Josh Bell drove in 3 in the win.

The star of the game was Jameson Taillon who despite walking 3, struck out 11 Cardinal hitters while allowing just 4 hits.

The Cards highlight was Matt Wieters pinch hit homer in the top of the ninth.

Marcel Ozuna was injured in the pregame warmup and could miss some time with a pulled hamstring.

----R--H--E-----
STL 3--7--2 (0-2)
PIT 6-12--1 (2-0)

Bucks Complete Sweep Of Cards

In a game where there were just 6 hits between the two clubs, the Cards still managed to get blown out.

Despite the Cards continuing to force pitchers into high pitch counts, they are coming up with nothing to show for it.

Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano threw 100+ pitches and only completed 6 innings, but managed to strike out 10 Cardinal hitters.

The Cards received another subpar start, this time from Carlos Martinez who threw 7 innings and allowed 4 earned runs on just 4 hits and 7 strikeouts.

Francisco Cervelli drove in 3 runs and Starlin Marte continued to give the Cards fits, scoring twice while only reaching base via a walk and a fielders choice.

The Cards move onto Atlanta to play the Braves before opening their home schedule against Milwaukee.

----R--H--E
STL 1--2--1
PIT 5--4--2

Cards Come Alive Late To Win In Dramatic Fashion

It looked all too familiar.

After the Cards had finally received a quality start from A. Reyes who allowed 2 earned runs and 8 hits in 6 1/3 innings, they still found themselves trailing 4-1 in the top of the 9th.

Then it happened.

The Cards strung together a few hits, for once, and loaded the bases for Jed Gyorko who was making his first start of the season.

Gyorko hit a grand slam over the center field wall just over the glove of center fielder Ender Inciarte, giving the Redbirds a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th.

Oh, but it wasn't over.

After the Braves had two outs, it appeared as though the game was over as the third out was sailing towards a rather non chalant Dexter Fowler who dropped the ball in deep center field and allowed the tying run.

The Cardinals were stunned.

However they would not be denied as they rallied for three more runs in the 10th, including a pair from the aforementioned Fowler, redeeming himself by purchasing the Cards enough insurance to hold on to the 8-5 win, their first of the season.

Matt Carpenter also hit his 1st homer of the season while going 2-5 after coming into the game hitless on the season in 11 at bats.

The Cards snapped their three game losing streak with the win.

----R--H--E
STL 8--14--3 (1-3)
ATL 5--11--0 (1-2)

Cards Edge Braves in 10-7 Slugfest

The Cards would hit 5 homeruns today in an offense filled evening in Atlanta. Homeruns from Wong, Goldschmidt, Carpenter, Fowler, and Wieters would solidify the victory.

The number five man in the rotation, Mikolas would get the win for the Cards going 5.2 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 8 hits and 4 k's, walking one.

The Cards bullpen would allow 5 runs in 3.1 innings on 5 hits as Atlanta got as close as 7-6 before the 9th where the Cards would hang 3 more runs on the board to seal the win.

-----R---H--E
STL 10--13--2
ATL 7---14--1


Cards Complete Sweep of Braves With Five Doubles

Adam Wainwright turned in his first solid performance of the year today in a 7-2 win over Atlanta. Wainwright would go 6 innings, allowing 7 hits and striking out 7, while walking 1.

Paul Goldschmidt hit a pair of doubles and has 7 hits in his last 10 at bats.

Matt Wieters hit his 3rd homerun of the season as he had forced the Cards to sit longtime staple Yadier Molina while Wieters swings the hot bat.

Marcel Ozuna hit his 1st homerun of the season, a 3-run blast, in the second inning as the Cards jumped out to an early 5-1 lead.

The Cards head to St. Louis to open their home schedule against Milwaukee.

----R---H--E
STL 7--14--1 (3-3)
ATL 2---7--1 (1-4)

Wong Balls Power Past Brewers in Home Opener

Kolton Wong hit his 2nd and 3rd homeruns of the season and Michael Wacha was dominant today as the Cards beat Milwaukee 6-2.

Kolton Wong would lead off the game with a homerun on the first pitch, hit another homerun and nearly hit a third when his late inning triple hit the right field wall.

Wong and Ozuna would hit back to back homers in the 5th inning.

Wacha would throw 7.2 innings, striking out 8 and allowing 1 earned run, 3 hits, and 3 walks in his 1st win of the season.

The Cards have won 4 straight after losing three in a row to begin the campaign.

----R--H--E
MIL 2--3--0 (3-4)
STL 6--9--1 (4-3)

Braun Powers Brew Crew Past Streaking Cards

Ryan Braun hit his 3rd home run of the season, a 2 run shot, that would power Milwaukee past the Cards tonight at Busch.

Carlos Martinez would fall to 0-2 on the season while throwing a strong game going 6.1 innings, allowing 3 hits and walking 5 while fanning 9. His ERA through two starts sits at 4.05.

Dexter Fowler hit his 3rd home run and 3rd double of the season in the loss.

----R--H--E
MIL 3--5--3 (4-4)
STL 2-10--0 (4-4)

Brewers Take Rubber Match In Extra Innings

Ben Gamel hit a pinch hit game winning 2-run homerun in the top of the 10th as the Brewers would win 2-0, taking 2 of the 3 games in the series. Both starting pitchers, Anderson and Reyes, would throw great games. Anderson went 8 innings, striking out 5 and allowing 9 hits while Reyes would throw 7 innings, allowing just 3 hits while fanning 9.

----R--H--E-----
MIL 2--6--0 (5-4)
STL 0--9--0 (4-5)

[onlybygrace]

Cards Snap Skid In Series Opener With Reds

Paul Goldschmidt went 4-4 and currently leads the MLB with a .442 batting average on the young season. Miles Mikolas won his 2nd game in as many starts, going 7 innings and allowing just 6 hits while striking out 7 and walking just 1.

The Cards worked their way back to .500 with the win.

----R--H--E-----
CIN 2--8--0 (5-5)
STL 4-14--2 (5-5)

Red Edge Cards In 11 Innings

Two teams sitting at 5-5 went to extra frames this afternoon and it would be the Reds on the strength of a squeeze bunt in the 11th that would walk away with their 6th win of the young season.

Tucker Barnhart, Yasiel Puig, and Jedd Gyorko would all hit homeruns this afternoon but the pinch hit bunt in the 11th off the bat of Winker would give the Reds the win.

Adam Wainwright had a rough beginning to his outing but would settle down, throwing 7 innings while allowing 8 hits and 3 earned runs, walking 1 and fanning 4.

Roark would throw well for the Reds going 6 innings deep while allowing 7 hits and 3 earned runs, fanning 3.

Mahle would get his 1st win of the season while Shreve earned the loss for the Cards.

Paul Goldschmidt, who came into the game leading the NL in batting went 0-5, striking out 3 times, as the 1-5 batters for the Cards went 3-23 in the game.

----R--H--E
CIN 5--11--0 (6-5)
STL 4--9--1 (5-6)



Struggling Cards Lose Again

The Cincinnati Reds took 2 of 3 against the Cardinals with another win tonight at Busch.

Joey Votto went 3-4 with his 1st home run of the season, a double, and 3 RBIs and Eugenio Suarez went yard again in the Reds win.

Alex Wood is now 2-1 this season after going 7 innings and allowing just 2 runs on 6 hits with 6 k's as his ERA is now at a minuscule 1.59.

The Cards would get a fairly mediocre start from Michael Wacha who fell to 1-2 after going 5 innings and allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and fanning 6.

Gyorko went 3-4 with his 3rd home run and 4th double of the season. He has homered in two straight games and his average now sits at .361 on the young season.

The Cards are getting set to face the rival Chicago Cubs and have now lost 4 of their last 5 games heading into the series.

----R--H--E
CIN 6--10--1 (7-5)
STL 4--9--0 (5-7)

[onlybygrace]

[SIZE="4"]Darvish Dominates Cards In Victory; Cards Lose 5th in Last 6

Yu Darvish went 8 innings strong tonight while earning his 1st win of the season, limiting the Cards to just 3 hits while fanning 7 in the 4-1 win in St. Louis.

Kyle Schwarber went 2-4 with a homerun and 3 RBI's, bringing his season average to .282.

Carlos Martinez, despite an adequate 3.72 ERA early in the campaign is now 0-3. He was serviceable tonight throwing 6 innings, allowing 2 earned run and 6 hits while striking out 7 and walking 1.

The 1-5 hitters in the Cards lineup went 1-16 in the loss. The Cards have lost 5 of their last 6.

CHI 4--9--1 (8-5)
STL 1--3--1 (5-8)


Cards Snap out of Skid On Strength Of Reyes' Fine Start

Alex Reyes was dominant this evening as he has been all season through his first 3 starts where he has posted an ERA of 1.37. Reyes threw 6.1 innings tonight and while he allowed 4 hits and walked 3--he struck out 10 Cubs hitters, who struck out a total of 12 times tonight.

Harrison Bader, who has struggled mightily this season, costing him an opportunity to see everyday action while hitting just .120, hit his 1st homerun of the season in the 6th inning propelling the Cards to a 4-1 win.

The Cards have won just 2 of their last 7 of late. The Cards 1-4 hitters went 8 for 15 tonight while scoring 3 of the Cards 4 runs.

The Cards and Cubs will meet for a fourth time tomorrow at Busch before the Cards head to San Diego.

-----R--H--E
CHI 1--5--1 (8-6)
STL 4-10--1 (6-8)[/size]