Cardinals’ Clutch Hitting Woes Continue in Loss to Rangers

Missed Opportunities Doom Cardinals in Latest Loss

The St. Louis Cardinals' persistent struggles with runners in scoring position were once again on full display Tuesday night as they fell to the Texas Rangers 7-4 at Busch Stadium. Despite multiple late-inning opportunities to take the lead, the Cardinals failed to capitalize, ultimately allowing the Rangers to pull away and secure their fifth consecutive victory.

Manager Oliver Marmol expressed his frustration with the team's offensive approach in crucial moments. "You have to execute at a really high level, and we didn’t do that and we didn’t deserve to win that game," Marmol stated after the game, his team's third loss in their last four contests. "You have to execute at a much higher rate to be consistent at this level, and that’s just the bottom line."

The numbers paint a stark picture of the Cardinals' season-long issues. The team is currently tied for last in Major League Baseball with a .222 batting average with runners in scoring position and ranks 29th in OPS in those same scenarios. Against the Rangers, St. Louis went 3 for 14 with runners on base and left 11 runners stranded, further emphasizing their inability to deliver timely hits.

Key Moments Slip Away

The game remained tied in the seventh inning after a two-run rally, with the Cardinals having runners at the corners and no outs. However, the inning ended without any further scoring. A similar scenario unfolded in the eighth when rookie catcher Jimmy Crooks doubled, seemingly putting the Cardinals in a position to take the lead. Yet, a botched bunt attempt by Victor Scott II and an inability to drive in runs extinguished that hope.

The Rangers capitalized on the Cardinals' offensive shortcomings, scoring three runs in the top of the ninth inning off closer Riley O’Brien to seal the victory.

Pitching Woes for O’Brien

Closer Riley O’Brien has also faced recent difficulties. After a strong start to the season, O’Brien has allowed 12 earned runs in his last 13 appearances, a significant departure from his earlier performance. His inability to consistently throw his sweeper for strikes has led to more walks, allowing opponents to sit on his high-velocity sinker. In the ninth inning against the Rangers, Joc Pederson and Josh Jung delivered RBI singles after O’Brien allowed the first two batters to reach base.

"The lead-off walk and then he fell behind two guys that led to (RBI) singles," Marmol surmised about O’Brien's outing. "It's the life of a reliever, quite honestly. You’ve got to be able to turn the page and figure out a way to throw up zeroes."

Offensive Approach Under Scrutiny

Marmol specifically called out the hitting approach of several players late in the game. He pointed to strikeouts by Nelson Velazquez and Masyn Winn on pitches out of the zone in the seventh inning as examples of poor decision-making with runners in scoring position.

Winn, who had two hits earlier in the game, acknowledged the team's shortcomings. "You’re trying to get a run in, and he made some really good pitches — a good change up and a heater up and we were chasing really trying to get that run in and just didn’t do our jobs," Winn said.

Nolan Gorman's Homer Offers Glimmer of Hope

One bright spot for the Cardinals was a home run hit by Nolan Gorman. The opposite-field blast provided a brief moment of excitement and may signal a turning point for the young hitter.

Datos clave
| Stat | Value |
|—|—|
| Runners in scoring position batting average | .222 (Tied for last in MLB) |
| Runners in scoring position OPS | 29th in MLB |
| Cardinals' record in last 4 games | 1-3 |
| Rangers' current win streak | 5 games |

The Cardinals' inability to consistently execute in high-leverage situations is a critical issue that needs to be addressed if they hope to improve their standing in the league. Their continued struggles in clutch hitting situations directly impact their ability to win close games and could hinder their overall season performance.

Fuente: Yahoo Sports, https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/cards-league-worst-numbers-clutch-043618305.html

Datos clave