*Photo from the San Diego Union Tribune*
Tensions were high to begin with, and on Wednesday, they finally spilled over. Nolan Arenado had a 3 RBI game, was caught in the middle of a fight, and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Mets with a 10-5 win on Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis.
Entering the series finale in the midst of a 3 game losing streak, the Cardinals offense woke up and produced. They erupted for 15 hits and 10 runs, taking the rubber game from the Mets after losing the first two games of the series. After squandering previous chances in prior games, the Cardinals got it done this time.
Arenado said of the comeback by the offense that "It was good seeing us come back and battle and rally after being down. I feel like we haven’t done that this year, to come back and rally like that. It was just a really good team win. We came out with some fire, and that was a good step."
Corey Dickerson hit an RBI single in the first inning, making it 1-0 Cardinals by scoring Tyler O'Neill. The Mets picked up 4 runs in the second inning, with both Tomas Nido and Brandon Nimmo socking two run doubles. In the 3rd inning, Arenado plated two runs with a two run single, making it a 4-3 game, the Mets still in front.
In the 4th inning, the Cardinals tied it 4-4, thanks to an RBI double by Tommy Edman. They took a 5-4 lead when Edmundo Sosa scored on a wild pitch. Edman then scored on an RBI single by Dickerson, making it a 6-4 Cardinals lead. Dickerson and Arenado then scored on a two run triple off the bat of Dylan Carlson to make it an 8-4 game.
In the 6th inning, Arenado made it a 9-4 game with an RBI double, plating O'Neill. In the top of the 7th inning, the Mets got one run back on a Francisco Lindor double, making it 9-5. In the bottom of the 7th, Paul Goldschmidt hit an RBI single to make it a 10-5 Cardinals lead.
Of course, the big controversy came in the bottom of the 8th inning. With Arenado up, Mets reliever Yoan Lopez threw a 94 mph fastball up and in tight on Arenado, just missing a hit by pitch. Arenado took exception to that, confronting Lopez and starting a brawl. Arenado and Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp, who tackled Pete Alonso, were ejected for their actions, with Lopez remaining in the game due to the umpires deeming no intent.
Alonso said of Clapp tackling him that "I thought that was cheap, going from behind. If you want to hold me back, if you want to restrain me, go at me like a man. I’m a big, strong guy. They don’t know my temper. They don’t know what I can do. If I wanted to put somebody in the hospital, I easily could, but I was just out there trying to protect my guys."
Jake Woodford got the win for the Cardinals, pitching two innings of one run ball in relief of starter Steven Matz, improving to 1-0 on the season. Matz allowed 4 runs on 6 hits and two walks, striking out 6 hitters in 4 innings pitched. Genesis Cabrera added two innings of relief, followed by one inning from Ryan Helsley.
It was starter Carlos Carrasco who got the loss for the Mets, dropping to 1-1 on the season. Carrasco got his hard, allowing 8 runs on 8 hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Lopez and Sean Reid-Foley each allowed one run, with Chasen Shreve having a scoreless outing.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of the brawl after the game that "When you come up top like that and jeopardize someone’s career and life, yeah, I take exception to that. I don’t think anyone in the big leagues appreciates getting thrown up top. Nolan has every right to react the way he did and come after him, and we’ll protect that."
Up next, the Cardinals are back in action with a Thursday night home game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, with Dakota Hudson to get the start. The Mets get back to work on Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, where Tylor Megill will get the start.
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