Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - St. Louis Cardinals UNLOAD On The Chicago Cubs

Starting point is 00:00:00 Uh-oh. Someone learned to hit the long ball. Well, at least for one night anyway. Cardinals unload on the Chicago Cubs in game one. Let's do it. You are Locked-on Cardinals. Your daily St. Louis Cardinals podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcasts network, your team every day. Hey there, Cardinals. I'm Jody Hafer and I'm your host for Lockdown Cardinals. Part of the Lockedown Podcast Network covering your team every day. Follow me on accent. J.D.S. radio, the podcast also available on X at LO underscore Cardinals. We're on YouTube, we're on TikTok, we're on Instagram, come find us. This is a show serving Cardinal Nation

Starting point is 00:00:44 and giving the best fans of baseball all of the info about the birds on the bat. Don't you love it when you're getting ready to start something and you've got to talk and the drink you took goes down like the wrong side? Awesome. Anyway, not going to ruin our mood, is it? St. Louis Cardinals brought out those

Starting point is 00:01:00 whooping sticks again on Monday night. My goodness. What the hell did them boys eat before they took the field? Chicken, steak, shrimp, sushi, pasta, whatever it was. Make sure that that meal is in this clubhouse again on Tuesday because the boys were swinging it in game one as they take apart the Chicago Cubs by a score of eight to two. It's a beautiful thing. When the Cardinals do things like this, it's more amplified when it is against your division rival. the Chicago Cubs. Now, it didn't really get cooking for the Cardinals until that fourth inning.

Starting point is 00:01:40 It was a pitcher's door up to that point in the first time through the order. Cub starter Ben Brown looked pretty darn good. You can see why this, why they like this kid. You know, he's got good life on the fastball. He's got that wipeout knuckle curve. But there's one thing the Cardinals have been pretty darn good at so far this year. And that's making adjustments, you know. It doesn't work all the time. Obviously Sunday Andrew Abbott picked them apart. But in this one, the Cardals were able to figure some things out. They knew that Ben Brown struggled against right-handed pitchers or struggled against

Starting point is 00:02:14 left-hand hitters as a right-handed pitcher. They got a chance to see him the first time through. And second time around, they took full advantage. Kind of knew what was coming from Mr. Brown. Lars Dupar lifted his 10thinger over the right field wall to give them that two-to-nothing lead. Got a head three-oh in the count. Brown got it back to three-two, but it was back-to-back. knuckle curves. And, you know, after you've seen it a couple times, you're like, all right,

Starting point is 00:02:38 I kind of get the gist of it. And New just lifted it, just lifted it, put it up into the air and got it out. Off the bat at first, I was a little shock and carried quite as far as it did, but I ended up going quite deep into the seats and right field. Wilson Contreras had just doubled right ahead of him on that same pitch. Second time around through the order, you got a better feel on what the break is and boom, not only did it give McCartle's that lead, but it was with two which we all know is like lemon juice into the wound, because it happens to the Cardinals, sometimes pretty frequently. So obviously you knew that was a good thing.

Starting point is 00:03:14 Cubs answered right back at the top half of that inning, but they got out of a jam, a nice 543 double play turned by the Cardinals. They really took momentum away from the Cubs again and brought it back over to the Cardinal side of things. Pedro Pahas takes a walk and then Brennan Donovan gets a heater right down the middle. Couldn't have put it on a tee any better than what. he got there. He rips it over the wall.

Starting point is 00:03:36 109.4 off the bat of Donnie his fifth home run of the season to make a 4-to-1 Cardinals. And a reminder, when we talk about Brennan Donovan, can you please go vote for the All-Star game and vote for Donnie? If anyone on this roster really deserves a spot at the All-Star game, it is Brinand-Dotteman, right? And I know Cattel Marte is going to win the second base vote. It's going to happen. But I think Donnie was like fifth, I think, is where he's sitting right now in the rankings. and that's absurd. That just means we're being lazy as Cardinal fans.

Starting point is 00:04:07 You can vote five times a day, so get to it. He deserves more recognition. Next batter, Mason Wynn, who works another walk, and brings in arguably the hottest hitter on the planet who's not named Cal Raleigh at the moment. And that man is Alec Berluson, who continues to hit bad pitches for home runs. When I say that, I don't mean it was like a bad pitch like Donnie's, where he just laid in a heater right down the middle.

Starting point is 00:04:31 He hits a change up. that it's up, it's probably not even a strike. If it nicks the top of the zone, maybe don't have ABS. So I doubt somebody was going to call this one a strike, but it might have grazed the top of the zone. But not an ideal pitch normally when you're looking at, okay, this is going to be your hot zone that you're going to swing in pitches. That's not normally where you're going to be swinging.

Starting point is 00:04:57 But Burley is hacking at almost anything he wants to these days, and he's putting good wood on the ball. He drives it over the right field wall. Kyle Tucker's neck had to be getting sore, had to be getting worn out, looking at those folks in the seats out there. Six to one Cardinals and all as well in the world. Sixth inning, it's the Nolan's turn to have a little bit of fun. Aranaida leads off with a single to the left field to bring up Gorman,

Starting point is 00:05:24 who like most Cardinals, were attacking Brown early. He gets the old number one over the heart of the play, but down, right where the lefties, love him and he sends an absolute missile over the right center field wall, his fifth of the season. That makes it eight to one. And if you're counting at home, and I'm sure you are, that is four two run home runs for the Redbirds in this game. Last time they did that September of 2020, they pulled it off against the Detroit Tigers, your heroes that day, Yada ear Molina, probably heard of him. Tyler O'Neill got his towel right back here behind me.

Starting point is 00:05:58 Lane Thomas, who's gone on to have a pretty nice career at other places other than St. And then, of course, the legendary Ron Hell Ravello, who hit three Major League home runs in his career. One of them was part of that group in 2020. So you look at the blueprint here, new deep in this count, because Brown didn't throw him strikes right away. But Donovan swinging on the second pitch, Burley first pitch, Gorman first pitch. After the game Burleson said that we each had an idea of what he was trying to do to each of us. and we had good individual plans and a good team approach. We were able to execute those plans with runners on, and that helps.

Starting point is 00:06:38 And there was a plan, clearly, and it was executed perfectly. Far too often last couple seasons, I would say. It appeared the Cardinals had no play whatsoever when they would come up to the play. They would just, you know, let's swing real hard and hope for good things. This year, it has been different. Hitting coordinator, Bram Brown, has been awesome for this club and with these guys, and they bought in, and it's working. because a Cardinals offense, which doesn't have when you go look at it on paper,

Starting point is 00:07:06 there's not one guy where you're just like, oh, boy, look out. You know, you've got some good guys, Wilson, Contreras, Nolan Aronado. But now you're getting Burleson. You've got Gorman. You've got Donovan. You've got Newt when he's feeling right. You got the speed of Victor Scott. There's a lot of good stuff in this order.

Starting point is 00:07:23 It doesn't have to be, you know, riddled with superstars up and down the lineup. But if they're all pretty good, that's tough. That is really tough. There's just no, what's the word we've been said, relentless. And that's the kind of offense that they have to be to continue to win games. And Monday's barrage, it just kind of added to the home run misery for the Cubs, whose pitching staff, they got beat up over the weekend by Seattle. Now four more home runs against them on Monday.

Starting point is 00:07:50 And it's got to be, it's got, they got to be wondering, like, what the hell is going on here? Because you want to bring up the weather conditions at Wrigley Field over the weekend. That's fine. We know things can get goofy at Wrigley Field when the wind is rolling like that. But that wasn't the case at Bush Stadium. No excuses there. Can't blame the wind. Cardinals were just out hitting the Cubs.

Starting point is 00:08:12 That's really what happened. Out slugging them. Worked for the Mariners in the previous weekend. And then it worked for the Cardinals on Monday night. Is that something they can sustain? I doubt it. That's not the team that they have been throughout the season. But the other side of the coin here,

Starting point is 00:08:30 is not only did the Cardinals hit well, but they were able to slow down the Cubs office. So Inter-Matthew Libertor, who was awesome in this game. We're going to talk about his start coming up next on Locked-on Cardinals. Hey, guys, you've probably heard of Viagra or Cialis. Maybe you've even tried them. But if you're looking for something beyond the usual pill, something different. It's time to meet Ruggier ready. Ruggiat ready is a next-gen prescription treatment.

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Starting point is 00:10:32 Leave it comments on YouTube as well as on X. It was a lot of happy Cardinal fans last night, you know, talking about how well the offense showed up and how fun that was to see the Cardinals kind of put it on the Cubs at least for once. Good pitching, though, usually beats good hitting. That's the phrase that, you know, what has been around since baseball was invented. And on Monday, Matthew Lipponsoort certainly proved that right with his performance against the Cubs who, you know, they're one of the top offenses in the game. We went over all the firepower that they have in the last episode. The Cardinals Killer, Ian Hap, opening things up at the top of the order, has just mauled the Cardinals over the years.

Starting point is 00:11:11 Kyle Tucker, Sayas Suzuki, Pete Crow Armstrong, Danesby Swanson batting cleanup, which I was like, eh? But hey, that's what they wanted to do. Nico Horner, Carson Gale. You know, there's just not a lot of weaknesses up and down their lineup. But don't tell Matthew Libertor that because he came out and looked as good as he has since the end of May, seven innings against the Diamondbacks on May 24th, one run, four strikeouts.

Starting point is 00:11:37 Since then, he's made four starts. And his last one against the White Sox, it was good. But the three before that, he gave up 17 runs, 24 hits, over 14 innings. ERA was at 10.29, not so good. And you started to hear the whispers a little bit, like, oh, did the league figure him out? Is he a bust again? Fire, Moe, and Ollie. they don't know what they're doing, get rid of them.

Starting point is 00:12:02 But whatever adjustments, Libby has made after that game against Toronto, which is a tough lineup, too, by the way, it's working. Sox he ends up going, what, six innings, two runs, four Ks, but it's the white socks. You're like, well, it's the white socks. You're supposed to beat those guys. And then you get the other boys. You get the North Siders, the Cubs. In weather that felt like 103 degrees at game time, our man Libby goes seven innings,

Starting point is 00:12:30 two runs, six hits, five punchies, wins his fifth game of the season. He looked sharp. He looked confident. He looked like he was in command from the get-go. The only time that he had any sort of trouble was in that fifth inning when the Cubs hit him around a little bit. They got that lead off double from Pete Crow Armstrong. Then former Cardinal Carson Kelly singles him home because, of course he does, because every time Cardinal comes, plays against us. They do something good. I had a couple hits in this one. But he gets the RBI single, cuts the lead in half to two to one. Nika Horner follows that up with a single.

Starting point is 00:13:02 But here's where the Cardinals' defense stepped up, twice, actually, in this inning. Justin Turner grounds one to the right side. Bernard Donovan, he makes that nice play on it, knocks it down, gets the out at first base. Keeping the ball on the infield was key there. That is what he had to do because it more than likely saves a run. I can't promise you they would have sent the runner there. But probably, you know, that's not Jordan Walker's arm out in right field. on Monday night. That was Alec Furlinson, who still has a good arm, but it's not Jordan Walker.

Starting point is 00:13:35 But that likely saves a run. And then Libby would lose the next hitter to set up a basis loaded, one-out situation for Ian Hap. Again, the Cardinal killer so many times over the years, you got Hap coming up and just breaking the hearts of Cardinals fans with home runs and clutch hits. And in his career against the Cardinals, if you don't believe me, 257 batting average coming into this game, 26 home runs and 59-iron RBI is in 110 games. The only team that he kills more than St. Louis is the Reds, who he's got 31 dingers and 86 ribbies against the 121 games.

Starting point is 00:14:10 So not the guy you really want to see up there in that situation if you've got a cardinal uniform on. But here he gets aggressive and swings at the very first pitch that Libby gives to him. And Libby, you know, because I'm sure he's thinking that like Libby's going to try to get had an account that he's just going to get something over the plate and half's going to get something to drive. And Libby, if you watch, actually missed his spot on this particular pitch. Pa has a set up inside so they're trying to get in on half and jam him. The cutter actually stayed on the outside part of the plate, but half is out in front on it and he pulls it down

Starting point is 00:14:49 over to third base to Aronado, who starts to 5,4, 3 DP to end the threat. You had Nico Horner, I think it was, on second base at this time. And he tried. to get Nato to flinch on the play by stopping and like doing some kind of weird dance that was going. I don't know. He was trying to be a distraction is what he was doing. He started running back to second, but this isn't Nato's first rodeo. Son, put your games down. Stop pulling around. He fires a second base. You get a nifty turn by Britt and Donovan at the bag who had Shaw like bearing down on him. And that was just a major momentum switch because the Cubs were ready to strike. That's normally where we know it's what's going to happen.

Starting point is 00:15:29 It feels like that half's probably going to plug a gap there or something, right? And get to win. But Libby gets out of it. He's pumped afterwards. Cardinals took over the game from there on out, like just for, we're in complete control. Riley O'Brien and Roderry Munoz, your bottom two on the totem pole and the bullpen. They get to work the final two innings. So that's awesome.

Starting point is 00:15:48 Cardinals went to eight to two. Honestly, you couldn't have asked for a much better win and a better opening game to this series for the Cardinals. Everything kind of went according to plan the way you would want to map it out. A convincing victory, you get the four home runs, your starter go seven. You didn't have to use any of your top bullpen guys, just a hell of a job by everyone all around. So very pleasing to watch, very enjoyable to watch. And, you know, in Monday show, I talked about bringing that same fire and energy that they did against the Dodgers earlier this year, where they won two or three. and that's what we saw.

Starting point is 00:16:28 That's what we saw in this game as well. We saw that same kind of focus and preparation, and you saw everybody was zoned in, and I know it's not easy to do every game. There's going to be tough games like Sunday. They did not have that look. They didn't have that eye of the tiger, if you will. But they're prepared because they know they're the underdogs

Starting point is 00:16:48 in this series and how important this series is going to be as they move forward towards the All-Star break. So it was great to see them play as well. as they did. We got some news and notes on the way, plus a preview of tonight's game coming up on Locked on Cardinals. Have a check your bank account and wonder where exactly did all my money go between dining out, which like if you go eat fast food these days, it's just as expensive as a restaurant. Like it's crazy. Online shopping needs certain things around the house. You just kind of hit the button and boom, shows up. You don't realize how quickly the money is leaving the account. So it's easy to lose track. That's where Monarch money comes in. your personal CFO gives you full visibility and control over your finances because Monarch

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Starting point is 00:18:50 We go live after those West Coast games, I'll wrap up. So if you want to come in and talk a little smack about the Cubs or Cubs fan, you want to talk about the Cardinals, you can do that too. But it's usually a lot of West Coast people are in there at the end of the night after those games wrap up. And we have a good time. Me and John Frisch from Locked on Angels host Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So if you get a chance, come by, check us out. All right, notes and stuff from last night's game.

Starting point is 00:19:15 How about this? Only the second time in 156 games between the Cardinals and Cubs since Bush Stadium 3 opened in 2006. In 2006, the other game was on September 26th, 2017. That little nugget from Rob Raines. Cardinals were eight of 14 with two outs in the game while the Cubs were just two of nine. Doing damage with two outs, you know, as well as I do, it is like a kick to the beam bag. You know what I'm talking about. Like, it is not cool.

Starting point is 00:19:48 Two out walks, two out hits, two out home runs. Like all of those things that really just drive you nuts is what the Cardinals did to the Cups in this particular game. In the latest round of voting for the All-Star game, the Cardinals have no players among the top four vote getters at their position, their highest tracking players. Donovan, again, like I mentioned earlier, ranked fifth among NL's second basement. That is absurd.

Starting point is 00:20:14 How many people live in the Cardinal metropolitan area? How many of you live just in the Midwest? Go vote. It takes like two minutes to go vote. It is so simple. and they do it where, and you get five a day, and they do it where it copies what your votes were. So you just click the button four more times, say vote, vote,

Starting point is 00:20:37 and it's over. So go do it. Go do it. There's some interesting battles going on, but the cardinals are not among any of them. And, you know, considering where they are in the standings and how many wins they got and how impressive they've been, it's a little shocking.

Starting point is 00:20:51 They're not getting a little more love than they are. But I get it. I get it because there's not a lot of superstar names on the roster. So I understand why. Another guy that certainly is starting to deserve some all-star votes. How about Alec Burleson? Last 55 at Bats, he's hit 3.45. And over his last 25 at bats, he's got nine RBIs,

Starting point is 00:21:12 which is the third most among all in-out players. That's behind Christian. Yeah, I'll let you add that eight RBI game recently. And then Washington's James Wood, who's just a freak, and is having an incredible season for the Washington Nationals that nobody is really paying attention to. because of the fact that they're not winning. And it feels like it's only a matter of time before Davey Martinez gets replaced as the manager of that particular squad.

Starting point is 00:21:38 And let me check out the updated National League batting averages. Oh, yeah, there they are. Three and four. So in batting average in the National League, Will Smith, catcher for the Dodgers leads at 328. Freddie Freeman is second at 321. And then it's Alec Berluson and Brennan-Donovan tied. for third place at 307. Yet nobody nationally is talking about these guys.

Starting point is 00:22:02 So I don't mind that there are dirty little secret, but I just feel like they should be getting more love than they are. Just a little bit. But yeah, Alec, Biscuits, been on its hair, man. So he's certainly a guy. Maybe you want to scoop them up in your face. You haven't already because he's playing against lefties and righties and hitting everybody.

Starting point is 00:22:23 Victor Scott stole his 22nd base of the season on Monday. He's got five over the last 15 days, which ties in with C.J. Abrams, also from the Washington Nationals, for the most in the National League. On the season, he's now four behind NL Stolen Base Leader, O'Neill Cruz from Pittsburgh, and he's seven off the pace of the MLB leader, which is Jose Caballero for the race, who has got 29. But, you know, Victor Scott, when he's getting on base, he's taken off, which is all we ever wanted. It's like, let him loose. Take the, take the leash off. Let him run. And he's doing it. He's doing it. it. So if he gets on base even more, imagine what that kind of weapon could be for the Cardinals moving forward. Pete Crow Armstrong is good as advertised. If you hadn't seen him play before Monday, you got a pretty good example of what he's been doing. Two for three with a double two runs scored and made what is normally a difficult catch in center field look just routine when he Robert and Donovan of maybe another home run, at least extra bases. The dude is ridiculous.

Starting point is 00:23:30 He's a special talent, man, and he's a lot of fun to watch. But even though, even though he had a good game, the Cardinals were able to slow down this Cubs offense, it's mainly because the Cubs top four in the order, Papp, Tucker, Suzuki, and Swanson, when it combined one for 16 in this game with four strikeouts was very much key to keeping them quiet because PCA, bat and fifth, had himself a really good game and they had a few hits from the lower half of the order, but the top of the order, just nothing. So, hey, do you keep them quiet?

Starting point is 00:24:01 It's pretty much how you're going to be in a lot of teams. If you can keep the top of the order quiet, usually things will work out. Crowd of 27,058 gathered in the heat to see this game. Smallest Cubs Cardinals crowd in St. Louis in a non-pandemic season since 1995. Heat was obvious a factor, 103 degrees. they said at first pitch is what it felt like in St. Louis. And it was a weeknight. I get it.

Starting point is 00:24:27 I thought it would be busier. I really did. I thought it would be busier. We'll see if things improve, if things cool off a little bit. Now with the win and the Brewers lost to Pittsburgh. Thank you, bucks. Thank you, Isaiah, Kiner Falafa, with the triple to bring the game winning run around for the pirates last night. The Cardinals are now tied with Milwaukee for second place in the division.

Starting point is 00:24:49 They're both three and a half back of the Cubs. thanks to another Padres lost, they're now tied for third in the wild card. So it's the Brewers and the Cardinals in that third wild card spot in the National League right now. I know it's a long way to go. Plenty of time, plenty of time going on here, but it is what it is right now. And if you told me or I told you vice versa, whatever, that on June 24th, the Cardinals would be in a playoff spot coming into the season, you would have laughed at me.

Starting point is 00:25:20 And I probably would have laughed at you if you told me that because nobody really saw this coming and give credit. Do it. Give credit to Ali and Mo and these people. But a lot of credit goes to like Bram Brown, Dusty Blake. They've done a lot with not a lot in the clubhouse. Like these guys are good players, but again, not a lot of superstars that we're talking about. Not people that, you know, are going to be page turners. But they're all doing jobs and doing the right things. And this is the kind of baseball that Cardinals fans love. It's the kind of stuff I love. It's why I dig teams like the Tampa Bay Race, who are a similar squad where it's just there's not a lot of superstars. But they do the things the right way, play good defense, good pitching,

Starting point is 00:26:11 solid bullpen, situational hitting, fundamentals. You do that stuff. And you're going to win a lot of baseball games. And Cardinals have been able to do that more times than not this year. Michael McGreevy, excited to see him back on the mound tonight, starting for the Cardinals. I think Roderoy Munoz is the guy that's going to be sent out after his appearance on Monday. The Cubs will roll with James and Tyon. He's been pretty good against Cardinals over his career.

Starting point is 00:26:32 Six and two, 3.33 ERA and 16 starts. Got hit pretty good by Milwaukee his last time out. So hopefully the Cardinals are checking out some video. I'm sure they are on what were the keys to beating Jameson Tyon. He allowed five runs on eight hits, including two home runs and just four. of work. Not a huge strikeout guy. Not going to walk it either. So let's keep those bats hot. Just like the weather. Just like the summertime in the loop. All right. That was a good game on Monday. I hope another good one for us on Tuesday. Thanks for making Lockedong Cardinals.

Starting point is 00:27:05 Your first listen every day. If you haven't already, give us a follow on X at L.O. underscore Cardinals and a JD Sports Radio. TikTok and Instagram and Locked on Cardinals, of course, on YouTube, making a push for 13,000 subscribers. If you're a Cardinals fan and this content is the stuff you like, please hit that subscribe button. It helps me out immensely. You guys are the best fans in baseball for a reason, and we will see you next time on Locked on Cardinals.

Locked On Cardinals - Daily Podcast On The St. Louis Cardinals - St. Louis Cardinals UNLOAD On The Chicago Cubs

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