Cardinals Lose in Frustrating Fashion as Dustin May Struggles with Command Again
Dustin May, who walked four and hit another batter, struggled for a fourth time since throwing a one-hit gem against the Padres on June 15. The Cards got the game tied, but lost when Gold Glove shortstop Masyn Winn threw wildly in the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss to the Braves.
Video Transcript
A stirring first half of the season for the St. Louis Cardinals came to a frustrating finish on Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium against the Atlanta Braves.
Cardinals lost four to three, to the Braves, missed out on a chance for their 51st victory of the season and the rare chance to sweep the Braves when things unraveled, rather quickly in the ninth inning on Sunday.
I'm John Denton with Round Table Sports.
The Cardinals had two outs in the ninth inning of a tie game.
JoJo Romero had Michael Harris II in an 0-2 count and one strike away from getting out of the inning and trying to go to the bottom of the ninth to win the ball game.
Romero's up and in pitch grazed Harris on the forearm.
The-- originally there was no call.
Harris lobbied for the hit by pitch call and was granted first base.
That brought out O-Oliver Marmol, Cardinals manager, who challenged the call.
Replays showed that it did barely graze Harris's forearm.
Marmol didn't like the fact that he had to challenge it.
He didn't like the fact that Harris basically lobbied for the call.
He was ejected from the game.
And from there, Maurici-Mauricio Dubn hit a slow roller to shortstop.
Usually sure-handed Gold Glove shortstop Mason Wynn hurried his throw through wild to first base, through high to first base.
Braves scored and, you know, it, it, it put a frustrating finish on what's really been a, a good first half of the season.
The Cardinals finished with the same record at the All-Star break this year that they did last year.
The only difference, of course, is last year they had Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, Wilson Contreras, and Brendan Donovan.
Donovan, of course, was the only All-Star on that team.
Th-this Cardinal team is, you know, the youngest roster, youngest lineup, in all of baseball.
They, they've outperformed most all expectations this season.
They've stayed in the race.
Sunday's loss left them one game back of the, Miami Marlins for the final wildcard spot.
So not many people saw that coming.
So it's been a very positive first half.
They've stayed in the race.
Dustin May struggled on Sunday.
It's gonna be interesting to see what the Cardinals do coming out of the break, and Dustin sure hasn't helped himself.
June 15th, he pitched the game of his life, threw a one-hit complete game shutout against the Padres.
It was the first, complete game shutout of his Major League Baseball career.
But since then, been rough.
He's made four starts, only pitched 11 and a third innings, and he's given up 17 hits and 13 earned runs.
That's a 10 ERA.
On Sunday, the Cardinals needed length out of their starting pitcher.
He gave them four innings.
He walked four batters.
He hit another one.
So another, another shaky outing for Dustin May.
Back in middle of June, his value was probably never higher to the other 29 teams in baseball and to the Cardinals, the value was really high.
But man, he's really struggled since then, and you wonder now i-if he-- what value he will have.
I mean, can, can the Cardinals get, a middling prospect for him if they decide to trade him at the deadline?
I do think the Cardinals will shop him.
They will try to get what they can for him.
It's, it's been a, you know, a, a decent, first half for Dustin May.
When he's been good, he's been really good.
And when he's been bad, you know, he, he has trouble with command.
He, he usually doesn't get hit, hit that hard, but it's own-- his own mistakes with wildness and hitting batters and walking batters.
So that, that got him in trouble again today.
But again, good first half for the Cardinals, but a frustrating finish on Sunday in the four to three loss to the Braves.
We will see you after the All-Star break.
Jordan Walker, Riley O'Brien, Ivn Herrera, and manager Oliver Marmol will take it place-- will take part in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Tuesday night from Philadelphia.
I'm John Denton with Round Table Sports.
