Dodgers and Cardinals Battle It Out In Memorial Day Weekend Series

Odd series between teams with great bullpens. Each game was tight and well played..

Cardinals accumulated 27 injury days over the course of the series. Painful as Tauchman and Yellich are out until the break. 

Game 1:

DODGERS 3

Cardinals:2

WP Keller

LP Skenes

S: Adam

What happened: Cardinals stranded eight men in scoring position with Arenado batting four times with runners in scoring position and failing to drive anyone in. In total, he left eight men on base all by himself. Try that one at home.   The dodgers hit well off of Skenes lacing four doubles and a homer off of him. For me, the game came down to one decision — in the top of the seventh with the game tied, Ohtani led off. I chose to walk him.  Turing sacrificed him to second. Skenes then plunked pages to make it first and third with one out. Merrill singled him home and the Dodgers had the go-ahead run.  In the eighth and ninth, the Cardinals had the potential tying run on second and both times failed to score him. 

Game 2

Cardinals 7

Dodgers 4

WP: Rogers

LP: Chapman

S; Robertson

What happened: Josh seemed poised to take a 2-0 series lead. Pages doubled home two runs in the first and the Dodgers had a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. After Hays singled, TJ Friedl homered to make it 3-2. The dodgers made it 4-2 in the top of the eighth and handed the ball to Chapman for the bottom of the frame. Chapman, against righties has a clean double on 4-11. I hit it consecutively to make it 4-3. After Jorge Mateo was out at home on grounder to the pitcher, Chapman dilled Tauchman and he's out for ten games. Tauchman was in for yellich who was hurt earlier in the game and will also miss the next ten. But I digress, with first and second and two outs, william contreras singled to score freeman. I had a choice to make — do I let Burleson hit against chapman?  As I was nearly out of players it presented a challenge, but I could make it work if I forsook my DH after I made my defensive changes. I would be hanging myself out to dry — I had no more subs and the pitcher would have to bat second the next inning. Also, If I pinch hit Willson contreras for Burleson, Josh would counter with a righty. So again — choice. Have burleson hit against chapman, or have Willson Contreras hit against a righty. I pinch hit. Josh went with Hodge. Willson hit a pinch homer to make it 7-4. Sometimes shit works out. 

Game 3

Dodgers 6

Cardinals 4

WP; Yammamoto

LP: Waldron

S: Adam

What happened: Josh scored four in the first with a three run homer from pages and the cards never caught up. Ben Waldron was injured and will miss seven games. In the eighth, the cardinals made it 6-4 and had the bases loaded for Jake Cronenworth, but he xed to 1 e8 bryce turning and that was that.

Game 4

Cardinals 2

Dodgers 0

WP: Imanaga

LP: Castillo

S: Iglecias

What happened. Sometimes shit works out part 2: Imanaga pitched six great innings. The bullpen slammed the door. Just like I drew it up. Michael Siani had an RBI Triple and Burleson homered to give us all we needed.