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Cardinals Blow Save, Lose Opener Against Pirates
Published by MoonDog on April 7, 2009
The 2009 season began like so many Cardinals’ games ended last year – with a blown save.
Last season, St. Louis led the National League with 31 blown saves.
As the new season began on a blustery day in St. Louis, Cardinals’ fans were hoping the reworked bullpen would lead to better results.
After just one game, the Cardinals have a blown save, one that cost them an opening day win.
The Cardinals new closer, Jason Motte (0-1), turned out to be no better than the relievers who blew save after save for St. Louis last season.
He got within one strike of earning the save and the win, but the Pirates Jack Wilson had other ideas.
Wilson ripped a bases loaded double in the top of the 9th, plating three runs and leading Pittsburgh to a 6-4 win over St. Louis.
Ryan Ludwick broke a 2-2 tie with a leadoff homer in the eighth off Tyler Yates, and David Freese added a sacrifice fly off John Grabow (1-0) for a 4-2 lead.
Motte, the hard-throwing righthander who looked overpowering in spring training, looked anything but in his first big league save opportunity.
He allowed four runs on four hits and hit a batter.
When Motte got the final out in the 9th, fans booed him loudly as he walked off the field.
His implosion spoiled an otherwise successful game. Manager Tony La Russa’s makeshift lineup did enough to win.
Shortstop Khalil Greene, acquired in an offseason trade with San Diego, hit cleanup and drove in the first run of the game.
Rookie David Freese took over third base in the 5th inning and popped a sacrifice fly into right field in his second major league at-bat.
Utility infielder Joe Thurston turned that pop-up into a run, scoring from third base, giving the Cardinals what appeared to be an insurance run.
It turned out to be two runs less than the Cardinals needed.
The series continues Tuesday night in St. Louis with Kyle Lohse, a 15-game winner last season taking the mound for the Cardinals against the Pirates’ Ian Snell, a seven-game winner in 2008.
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JM Van Horn on Tue, 7th Apr 2009 21:09
I will be curious to see if Motte can turn this around or is this an indicator of how his season will go.
MoonDog on Wed, 8th Apr 2009 07:14
I think he’ll be OK. He better be. If he can’t get it done, the Cards will have to find someone else quickly. They can’t afford to duplicate last season.