Aaron McBride | @blakestbanter | June 7, 2024
Is every game between the Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals a revenge game? Not sure if this narrative is still going, but let’s follow Monty, Gomber, and Arenado as the game goes on. Montero and Gomber are the only two left of the 5-for-1 deal in February 2021.
Mateo Gil was picked up in the MiLB Rule 5 in ’22 by the Mets, Tony Locey was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays before the 2023 season for the infamous, Player to be Named Later, and Jake Sommers voluntarily retired a few weeks ago.
Colorado Rockies v St. Louis Cardinals Game 2 Story
Austin Gomber faces the ol’ Red Birds for the fifth time, third as a starter. Gomber has faced his old squad four times and posted a 1-1 record with 6.35 ERA. In the batter’s box, Arenado is hitting .250 off of Gomber with a double, home run and a strikeout in 12 at-bats
Gomber v Arenado #1
The inning started off bumpy after a leadoff double to Winn and back-to-back singles to Burleson and Goldy. With two on, Nolan steps up and works a 2-0 count, Nolan drives in one more on a sac fly to right field. Who won: push.
Montero at-bat #1
Brendan Rodgers roped a single to left-center followed by an opposite-field single by Brenton Doyle. 2 on, 1 out. Monty is up in the Top of the 2nd. He chases the second pitch and skies one to shallow right field for an out. Who won: STL
Gomber vs Arenado #2
Getting two quick outs to start the 2nd, Winn worked a walk, Burleson singled him to third and Goldy drove him in for his second RBI on the day. Nolan is up with runners on 1st and 3rd, 2 outs. It was a 10-pitch at-bat, 6 straight foul balls, and Nolan grounds out to Tovar who makes a nice diving play. Who won: COL
*The wave started and ended in the Top of the 3rd.*
Montero at-bat #2
Diaz lines a single to start the inning off but is out at 2nd on a fielder’s choice off of B-Rod’s bat. Unfortunately, Rodgers left the game after racing down the line to beat out a potential double play. Alan Trejo came in to replace him. Brenton lines one to left field to put runners on 1st and 2nd, 1 out for Monty.
Montero works a 2-2 count then fouls one off the knee that takes a few minutes to recover. two pitches later he crushes one to the left-center gap but ends up being caught. Who won: STL.
Montero at-bat #3
Montero comes up in the 5th with a 5-4 lead coming off of a Alan Trejo RBI single. Doyle just laced one to the gap but it was ran down by the speedy Dylan Carlson. Monty strikes out on a -14.8 horizontal break sweeper. Who won: STL.
Gomber v Arenado #3
The bottom of the 5th saw our third, and final matchup between the two big pieces of the trade. Arenado steps up with no one on and two outs. They get to a full count, Arenado swings, the crowd goes “oooohhhh” and Doyle catches it with his back to the wall at the 400′ marker. Who won: COL.
Montero at-bat #4
Top of the 7, each team with 5 runs on the board. 2 outs. Alan Trejo is on first after a fielder’s choice bunt. A two-pitch at-bat ended with a groundout to Arenado. Who won: STL.
Arenado at-bat #4
Bottom of the 7th, still knotted up at 5. 2 outs and no one on. Molina quickly gets ahead of Arenado who ends up flying out to Toglia in right. Who won: STL.
The 7th inning saw Molina retire the side in order but on an agonizing 18 pitches. This has been the one thing hindering the 22-year-old. He possesses one of the worst K% in the league at 9.6%. He can never seem to put hitters away and that results in his pitch count running high.
The 8th and Beyond
The Cardinals tested Brenton Doyle’s arm in the bottom half of the 8th. Brendan Donovan hits a 218-foot single to center which brings in a run on a close play at the plate. Dylan Carlson comes up next and clears the bases with a double down the right-field line. The frame ends with three runs scored.
The Rockies go quietly in the 9th. That is all she wrote. Cardinals 8. Rockies 5.
Quotes
Manager Bud Black when asked about Rodgers injury: “It’s a left hamstring, we’ll see tomorrow… talking to Brendan just after the game.. He felt it slightly when he was going down the line, and he pulled up when he felt it”
Manager Bud Black when asked about Gomber’s start: “The last three were solid, very efficient for sure…if you reconstruct the first inning…baseball got him on Goldy’s tapper…it’s baseball…He reeled it together for three brilliant innings “
Manager Bud Black when asked about Brendan Rodgers possibly going on the IL: “It’s going to depend on how he feels tomorrow and the next couple of days.”
Notes
Six Major League shortstops lead their respective teams in bWAR, two of them are Ezequiel Tovar (2.2) and Masyn Winn (2.1).
Before tonight’s game, Austin Gomber has allowed 10 of his 22 runs in the first inning. He allowed three in the first tonight. After tonight, runs have scored in the first in seven of his 12 starts.
The game saw two players leave with injuries. Brendan Rodgers left in the 4th with, what seems to be, a lower body injury and Matt Carasiti left the mound in the 8th after striking out Masyn Winn. From the looks of it, Carasiti may have a blister.
What’s next for the Colorado Rockies?
The Rockies will face Kyle Gibson (3.69 ERA) on Saturday at 3:15. Ryan Feltner (6.22 ERA) looks to bounce back from his last start on Larry Walker bobblehead night.
ICYMI: The Magic of Sean Sullivan.
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