St. Louis will have to figure out a way to slow down Rafael Devers and Bryce Eldridge when the Cardinals attempt to avoid a three-game road sweep by the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon.
One night after teaming with Devers for three doubles and four RBIs in a 5-4, 11-inning win, Eldridge took matters into his own hands in the rematch Tuesday, launching a first-inning solo home run that gave the Giants the early lead in a 2-1 victory.
The consecutive one-run defeats against a non-contender might have sealed the postseason fate of the Cardinals (72-74), who are six games out of the final National League wild-card spot with just 16 games remaining.
Monday’s starting pitcher for St. Louis, Michael McGreevy, insisted his club was not ready to give up the fight.
“Our guys work so hard,” he told reporters. “It’s a never-say-die team. These guys grind their (butts) off.”
The Giants have been eliminated from postseason contention, and the Cardinals are not far behind. According to ESPN’s analytics, the Cardinals have less than a 1% chance of making the playoffs.
The consecutive wins not only have given the Giants (61-85) a chance to play spoiler, but also have put the team a win away from its first three-game home sweep of the season.
San Francisco will send right-hander Blade Tidwell (0-2, 4.43 ERA) to the mound in search of his first win with the Giants, opposed by St. Louis right-hander Andre Pallante (12-6, 3.51).
Tidwell, who grew up about 350 miles southeast of St. Louis in Columbia, Tenn., made his major league debut against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium last May for the New York Mets, allowing six runs in 3 2/3 innings. He left the game with a 14.73 ERA.
Pallante, meanwhile, has gone head-to-head with the Giants eight times, four times as a starter. He’s 1-0 with a 5.16 ERA in those games, during which he’s seen Eldridge only two times, walking him once and striking him out.
The 27-year-old has gone head-to-head with Devers 12 times, hitting him once, walking him once and allowing two hits, including a home run while Devers was with the Boston Red Sox last April.
Pallante likely has never seen Devers as hot as he’s been in the Giants’ past nine games. Even after going 0-for-4 on Tuesday, Devers has 12 hits in his past 33 at-bats (.364) with six homers and nine walks (two intentional).
Eldridge, who has been slotted immediately behind Devers on most nights, said that dynamic has helped both left-handed sluggers.
“I feel very blessed to be able to watch what he’s doing from the on-deck circle. It’s the closest spot in the park,” the rookie said in a television interview shortly after Tuesday’s win. “We’ve kinda just fed off of each other. He feeds me confidence; hopefully, I do the same for him.
“He’s given everyone confidence. He shows everyone when he goes up there: This is what it looks like. The way he’s playing has taken the pressure off everyone. Watching ‘The Raffy Show’ … It gives me more confidence hitting behind him.”
The 21-year-old has hits in 19 of his past 22 games, raising his season average from .245 to .265.
–Field Level Media
