Game 4
Backs to the wall, the Cardinals turn to Lance McCullers Jr (8-2, 5.05 ERA) to save their
bacon and push this series to a deciding game 5. Houson countered with the aggressive
move of coming back with game 1 starter Jake deGrom to close out the series.
Where games 1 and 3 were punctuated with runs and rallies, game 4 would be a pitcher's
duel. Rallies averted. Runs not scored.
In the first inning, each team put a runner on and each team got nothing out of it.
2nd inning went much the same. In the 3rd inning, the Astros got a little something started.
Benintendi leads off with a strike out, but Domingo Santana lines one through the infield
into right. Matt Carpenter put one in the same spot. Runners on 1st and 2nd, 1 out, players
in the dugout starting to turn their hats inside out looking to get something started. And
Grandal hits into a double play. 5-4-3.
Each pitcher would scatter hits and walks until the bottom of the 5th when the Cardinals
started to put something together. After a Calhoun fly out, Ramos laces one up the middle for
a single. Braun bounces a double to the wall in left center, deep enough to score a catcher
from first, but not deep enough to get himself a triple as he's thrown out at third. Lindor
K's to close it out, but the Cardinals step out in front 1-0 after 5.
Now it was the Astros turn in the top of the 6th. Carpenter leads off with a single down the
right field line, thinking about stretching it to a double but then remembering his knees are
made of papier mache. Grandal strikes out and then McCullers gives Carpenter 2nd base anyway
on a passed ball. Voit reaches on an infield single with Carpenter moving to third now. 1st
and 3rd with 1 out, and out of the pen steps Phil Maton. Yes, everytime you see that name,
your brain is trying to turn it into a Bart Simpson prank call, but he's bringing the heat
tonight and gets a pop out and strike out to shut down the Astros.
In the bottom of the inning, the Cardinals step it up to press their advantage. Freddy
Freeman leads off with a walk and then Aaron Hicks knocks a double to left to give the home
team 2nd and 3rd with no one out. Hoskins walks to load em up and the call goes out to the
Houston pen. In comes Oliver Drake to face Manny Machado. Drake sports a 92% ground ball
rate (* not the real number), and the infield is drawn in. Manny smokes one... right into
Carpenter's glove at 2nd base. Bases still loaded, 1 out now. Infield in and Carpenter is
called into action again. Lux grounds a ball out to 2nd base. Carpenter pegs it to Grandal
at home and Grandal sends it to 1b to complete the double play.
We go to the top of the 7th, Cardinals 1-0. Canha knocks a single into LF with one out.
Benintendi replaces him at 1b with a grounder to the mound that couldn't be turned into a DP.
After a passed ball sends him to 2nd, another rally is averted when Matt Joyce flies out to
center. The Cardinals go quietly in their half of the inning.
But the Stros are back. Any batter can tie this thing with one swing. After 2 weak outs,
Voit launches a double to deep center, bringing Corey Seager to the dish to play hero. Just
a single now and the game is likely evened up. Strike out. Josh Sborz gets himself out of
the jam.
In the top of the 9th, Joakim Soria came on for his only appearance in the series and gets
the save. Cardinals 1 - Astros 0
10/5/2021, Hou21-StL21, Sportsman's Park
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2021 Astros 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 8 3
2021 Cardinals 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 x 1 6 0 5 1
Astros AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Carpenter,M 2b 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .400 3 3 0 0
Grandal c 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222 6 2 0 0
Voit dh 4 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .412 0 0 0 0
Seager,C ss 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .438 1 3 0 0
Donaldson 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0
Smoak 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 6 2 0 0
Canha lf 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .154 2 0 0 0
Benintendi cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 4 1 0 0
Santana,Do rf 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .455 0 0 0 0
Joyce ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .071 0 0 0 0
deGrom p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Drake p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 1 0 0 0
Wieck,B p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
34 0 8 0 2 0 0 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 12 0 0
Cardinals AB R H BI D T HR BB K SB CS IW HP SH SF AVG PO A E PB
Lindor ss 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .176 2 2 0 0
Freeman,F 1b 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 8 0 0 0
Hicks,A cf 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .071 2 0 0 0
Hoskins dh 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 0 0 0 0
Machado,M 3b 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 2 2 0 0
Lux 2b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .214 2 2 0 0
Calhoun,W lf 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .308 2 0 0 0
Ramos,W c 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286 9 1 0 1
Braun rf 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286 0 0 0 0
McCullers Jr. p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Maton,P p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 1 0 0
Sborz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
Soria p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0 0
26 1 6 1 2 0 0 4 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 27 9 0 1
Astros INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
deGrom L 1-1 5.0 5 1 1 4 6 79 47 22 0 0 0 0 1 3.00
Drake 2.1 0 0 0 0 0 20 15 6 0 0 0 0 1 0.00
Wieck,B 0.2 1 0 0 0 0 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 0.00
8.0 6 1 1 4 6 102 64 30 0 0 0 0 3
Cardinals INN H R ER BB K PCH STR BF HR IW HP WP DP ERA
McCullers Jr. W 1-0 5.1 6 0 0 0 7 95 56 21 0 0 0 1 1 0.00
Maton,P H 2 1.2 1 0 0 0 1 27 19 6 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Sborz H 1 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 16 10 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Soria S 1 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 18 10 4 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
9.0 8 0 0 1 9 156 95 35 0 0 0 1 1
Hou: Joyce batted for Santana,Do in the 7th
Joyce moved to rf in the 7th
GWRBI: Braun
Temperature: 62, Field: wet, Sky: threatening, Wind: out to left at 10 MPH,
Rain Delays: 44 minutes.
10/5/2021, Hou21-StL21, Sportsman's Park
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2021 Astros 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 8 3
2021 Cardinals 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 x 1 6 0 5 1
Astros -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Carpenter,M 2b 1>k S.1-3 6>S 8>Sborz
53
Grandal c 63 543/gdp k 5
Voit dh D 4>k wp.1-2 D
S.2-3
Seager,C ss 8 S Maton,P k
4
Donaldson 3b 2>k 23.1-2 k 9>Soria
7
Smoak 1b 7 13 7>5/L 63
Canha lf k 5>3/g S W
Benintendi cf 3>k 3/g 16/f.B-1 46/f
Santana,Do rf S k
Joyce ph pb.1-2
8
Cardinals -----A------ -----B------ -----C------ -----D------ -----E------
Lindor ss 1>S k k 8>8
Freeman,F 1b k 13 6>W Wieck,B
S
Hicks,A cf 43/gdp 4>W D.1-3 643/gdp
Hoskins dh 2>k k W
Machado,M 3b S 36/f.B-1 Drake
4/L
Lux 2b 8 8 423/gdp
Calhoun,W lf 8 5>7 7>7
Ramos,W c 3>k(23) S 63
Braun rf W note 1 31
1: D.1-H;Bx3(865)
Astros IN OUT ER Cardinals IN OUT ER
deGrom A1 C4 1 L 1-1 McCullers Jr. A1 C3 0 W 1-0
Drake C5 D1 0 Maton,P C4 C9 0 H 2
Wieck,B D2 D3 0 Sborz D1 D4 0 H 1
Soria D5 D8 0 S 1
10/5/2021, Hou21-StL21, Sportsman's Park
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP
2021 Astros 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 8 3
2021 Cardinals 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 x 1 6 0 5 1
Score O Rnr BS Event
----- - --- -- -----
************** Top of the 1st inning, Astros batting
0-0 0 --- 12 Carpenter,M struck out (CSBC)
0-0 1 --- 20 Grandal grounded out to short (BBX)
0-0 2 --- 22 Voit lined a double to left center (CSBBX)
0-0 2 -2- 10 Seager,C flied out to center (BX)
************** Bottom of the 1st inning, Cardinals batting
0-0 0 --- 01 Lindor grounded a single up the middle (FX)
0-0 0 1-- 22 Freeman,F struck out (BBCFS)
0-0 1 1-- 01 Hicks,A grounded into a double play, Carpenter,M to Smoak
(CX)
************** Top of the 2nd inning, Astros batting
0-0 0 --- 32 Donaldson struck out (BFBBCFC)
0-0 1 --- 31 Smoak flied out to left (BBBCX)
0-0 2 --- 32 Canha struck out (BCBFBS)
************** Bottom of the 2nd inning, Cardinals batting
0-0 0 --- 12 Hoskins struck out (BCCC)
0-0 1 --- 01 Machado,M lined a single to left center (CX)
0-0 1 1-- 00 Lux lined out to center (X)
0-0 2 1-- 12 Calhoun,W flied out to center (BCCX)
************** Top of the 3rd inning, Astros batting
0-0 0 --- 32 Benintendi struck out (CBBBCFFS)
0-0 1 --- 12 Santana,Do grounded a single between first and second
(CBCX)
0-0 1 1-- 22 Carpenter,M grounded a single to right, Santana,Do to
third (BCFFBFFX)
0-0 1 1-3 32 Grandal grounded into a double play, Machado,M to Lux to
Freeman,F (SBBSBX)
************** Bottom of the 3rd inning, Cardinals batting
0-0 0 --- 02 Ramos,W struck out, Grandal to Smoak (CFS)
0-0 1 --- 31 Braun walked (BSBBB)
0-0 1 1-- 02 Lindor struck out (CCC)
0-0 2 1-- 02 Freeman,F grounded out to the mound (FFX)
************** Top of the 4th inning, Astros batting
0-0 0 --- 12 Voit struck out (CBSS)
0-0 1 --- 00 Seager,C lined a single down the right field line (X)
0-0 1 1-- 11 Donaldson grounded out to the catcher, Seager,C to second
(CBX)
0-0 2 -2- 12 Smoak grounded out to the mound (BCFX)
Game delayed by rain for 44 minutes
************** Bottom of the 4th inning, Cardinals batting
0-0 0 --- 31 Hicks,A walked (BBBCB)
0-0 0 1-- 22 Hoskins struck out (CBFBS)
0-0 1 1-- 32 Machado,M grounded to first, forcing Hicks,A at second,
Machado,M to first (CCBBBX)
0-0 2 1-- 10 Lux flied out to center (BX)
************** Top of the 5th inning, Astros batting
0-0 0 --- 20 Canha grounded out to first (BBX)
0-0 1 --- 31 Benintendi grounded out to first (SBBBX)
0-0 2 --- 12 Santana,Do struck out (CBFC)
************** Bottom of the 5th inning, Cardinals batting
0-0 0 --- 10 Calhoun,W flied out to left (BX)
0-0 1 --- 21 Ramos,W grounded a single up the middle (BCBX)
0-0 1 1-- 22 Braun lined a double to left center, Ramos,W scored,
Braun out at third (CBCBX)
0-1 2 --- 02 Lindor struck out (CFC)
************** Top of the 6th inning, Astros batting
0-1 0 --- 21 Carpenter,M lined a single down the right field line
(BBSX)
0-1 0 1-- 32 Grandal struck out (BFSBBFS)
0-1 1 1-- 00 McCullers Jr. threw a wild pitch, Carpenter,M to second
(B)
0-1 1 -2- 10 Voit reached on an infield single to third, Carpenter,M
to third (B.X)
Maton,P now pitching
0-1 1 1-3 31 Seager,C popped out to second (CBBBX)
0-1 2 1-3 02 Donaldson struck out (CSFC)
************** Bottom of the 6th inning, Cardinals batting
0-1 0 --- 31 Freeman,F walked (BFBBB)
0-1 0 1-- 11 Hicks,A doubled deep to left, Freeman,F to third (BSX)
0-1 0 -23 31 Hoskins walked (BBCBB)
Drake now pitching
0-1 0 123 10 Machado,M lined out to second (BX)
0-1 1 123 01 Lux grounded into a double play, Carpenter,M to Grandal
to Smoak (FX)
************** Top of the 7th inning, Astros batting
0-1 0 --- 01 Smoak lined out to third (CX)
0-1 1 --- 22 Canha lined a single to shallow left (BSBCX)
0-1 1 1-- 02 Benintendi grounded to the mound, forcing Canha at
second, Benintendi to first (SFX)
Joyce pinch hitting for Santana,Do
0-1 2 1-- 12 Ramos,W allowed a passed ball, Benintendi to second
(CCFBB)
0-1 2 -2- 32 Joyce flied out to center (CCFBB.BFX)
************** Bottom of the 7th inning, Cardinals batting
Joyce moved to right field
0-1 0 --- 02 Calhoun,W flied out to left (CSFFX)
0-1 1 --- 00 Ramos,W grounded out to short (X)
0-1 2 --- 12 Braun grounded out to first (BSCX)
************** Top of the 8th inning, Astros batting
Sborz now pitching
0-1 0 --- 32 Carpenter,M grounded out to third (FCBBBX)
0-1 1 --- 00 Grandal popped out to third (X)
0-1 2 --- 12 Voit doubled deep to center (BCCX)
0-1 2 -2- 22 Seager,C struck out (BCBSS)
************** Bottom of the 8th inning, Cardinals batting
0-1 0 --- 32 Lindor flied out to center (SCBBBX)
Wieck,B now pitching
0-1 1 --- 00 Freeman,F grounded a single between third and short (X)
0-1 1 1-- 10 Hicks,A grounded into a double play, Seager,C to
Carpenter,M to Smoak (BX)
************** Top of the 9th inning, Astros batting
Soria now pitching
0-1 0 --- 01 Donaldson flied out to left (CX)
0-1 1 --- 32 Smoak grounded out to short (BBBCCX)
0-1 2 --- 32 Canha walked (BCBFBFB)
0-1 2 1-- 11 Benintendi grounded to second, forcing Canha at second
(BCX)