ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
HERE’S THE STORY
♦ The D-backs are in first place in the NL West, 1.0 game ahead of the Dodgers, and have been in or tied for first place since April 8.
♦ The D-backs split their last series @ Cardinals from April 28-May 1, 2022 (4 games).
♦ Josh Rojas, since April 4, is batting .421 (16-for-38)/1.018 OPS with 5 doubles, 6 RBI, 4 walks and 2 stolen bases.
♦ Geraldo Perdomo, in 9 starts, is hitting .400 (10-for25)/1.156 OPS with 3 doubles, 1 homer, 8 RBI, 5 walks and 1 stolen base.
♦ Merrill Kelly opened with 6.0 hitless frames and finished with a quality start (6.0+ IP, 3 ER, 1 H, 4 BB, 7 K) in his last start on April 11 vs. Brewers.
THE STREAK IS BACK
♦ Yesterday vs. Marlins, Zac Gallen tossed 6.2 scoreless innings to extend his scoreless-inning streak to 14.2…it also marked the first time in his career where he was perfect through the first 4.0 innings of a start.
♦ Since 2020, Gallen’s 15 scoreless starts of 6.0 + innings are third most in the Majors, behind Corbin Burnes/MIL (18) and Gerrit Cole/NYY (16).
In 2022, Gallen established the D-backs’ record for consecutive scoreless innings (44.1) from Aug. 8-Sept. 11, 2022, surpassing Brandon Webb’s 42.0-inning stretch (July 20-Aug. 17, 2007) and was the longest in the Majors since Zack Greinke’s/LAD 45.2-scoreless frames in 2015.
ZEROED
♦ With their 5-0 win yesterday, the D-backs shut out the Marlins for the first time since June 28, 2018 @ Marlins Park.
♦ It marked the D-backs’ second shutout in their last 6 games (also: 3-0; April 10 vs. Brewers).
SMALL BALL
♦ The D-backs’ 87 bunt attempts since 2022 (sacrifice hits + bunt hits + bunt outs) are the most in baseball, ahead of the Angels (78) and Nationals (72).
♦ Since 2022, Arizona’s 33 sacrifice bunts lead the Majors while its 27 bunt hits are the third most, behind the Giants (32) and Nationals (29).
EXTRA! EXTRA!
♦ Since April 6, the D-backs’ 37 extra-base hits (26 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR) are second in the NL, behind the Phillies (40).
♦ Arizona has 2+ extra-base hits in 13 of its 16 games.
FOR THE TAKING
♦ The D-backs’ 60 pct. extra bases taken percentage leads the Majors, ahead of the Braves (58%), Red Sox (51%) and Reds (50%).
Percentage runner advanced more than 1 base on single or 2+ bases on a double
TONIGHT’S STARTER – RHP MERRILL KELLY ♦ #29
AT A GLANCE: In his fi fth season with the D-backs.
• Played 5 seasons in the Rays’ system (2010-14) then 4 seasons (2015-18) with the SK Wyverns in the KBO League.
• Rays’ eighth-round pick in the 2010 draft.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: I s making his third career start @ Busch Stadium.
• Looking for his first win of the 2023 season.
• 509 career strikeouts with the D-backs ranks 8th all-time among starters in franchise history, behind Randy Johnson (2,077), Brandon Webb (1,065), Robbie Ray (998), Patrick Corbin (897), Curt Schilling (875), Zack Greinke (683) and Dan Haren (570).
LAST START: On April 11 vs. Brewers, opened with 6.0 hitless frames and fi nished with a quality start (6.0 IP, 3 ER, 1 H, 4 BB, 7 K).
VS. CARDINALS: Is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA (9 ER in 24.0 IP) in 4 career starts.
• Is 1-1 with a 0.75 ERA (1 ER in 12.0 IP) in 2 career starts @ Busch Stadium.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The defending National League Central Division Champion St. Louis Cardinals continue their seven-game homestand by welcoming the first place Arizona Diamondbacks to St. Louis for the opener of a three-game series tonight at Busch Stadium … The Cardinals walked-off the Pirates in extras yesterday to split a four-game series to open their homestand.
WILD, WILD WEST: Tonight is the first of 16 consecutive games against opponents from the NL and AL West Divisions … Since 2019, the Cardinals are a combined 65-52 vs. both West Divisions, including a 41-17 mark at home.
IT’S WHACKING DAY: Since Arizona joined Major League Baseball as an expansion team in 1998, the Cardinals .620 win percentage (103-63) against the Diamondbacks is the highest in MLB among National League and common interleague opponents … Arizona’s .380 winning pct. vs. the Cardinals is also their worst against any annual opponent … St. Louis’ .648 home winning pct. vs. the Diamondbacks is its 4th-best at Busch Stadium III (2006-present).
CENTURY CLUB: Oliver Marmol earned his 100th career win as Cardinals manager yesterday, going 100-78 in his first 178 games … Marmal is now the:
• 8th-fastest Cardinals manager to reach 100 wins in terms of games
• 11th MLB manager in the Expansion Era (1961-present) and 93rd overall in MLB history to win his 100th game before his 37th birthday
• 52nd manager all-time to reach 100 wins with a winning record before age 37 and first since Sparky Anderson (age 36.216, 100-59 record) in 1970.
• 3rd Cardinals manager to reach 100 wins with a winning record before age 37, joining player managers Rogers Hornsby (age 30.057, 100-79 record in 1926) and Frankie Frisch (age 36.341, 100-72 record in 1934).
SHIVER ME TIMBERS: Oliver Marmol’s first career win as Cardinals manager was April 7, 2022 in a 9-0 shutout win over the Buccos on Opening Day, and since Oli became skipper in 2022, his clubs have beaten Pittsburgh (15) more than any other team.
NOOT NEWS: California native Lars Nootbaar crushed NL West opponents at an OPS of 1.376 last season, the highest single-season mark in Cardinals history and the 6th-highest all-time in MLB history (min. 50 plate appearances) vs. the NL West.
WALK-A-THON: Lars Nootbaar has walked three times in consecutive games, tying the franchise record for the 19th time, most recently by Andrew Knizner (July 24-25, 2021) … Shohei Ohtani (Sept. 22-24, 2021) is the most recent MLB player to walk 3+ times in three straight games, while Babe Ruth (June 12-15, 1930) holds the MLB record for consecutive 3+ walk games (4) … Nootbaar’s eight total free passes in his first three games this season ties the MLB record held by six others and most recently matched by Detroit’s Robbie Grossman in 2021 … Nootbaar surpassed Wally Moon (7, 1958) & Miller Huggins (7, 1913) to set the Cardinals franchise record.
GO-AHEAD GORMAN: 22-year-old Nolan Gorman ranks T-10th in MLB with a team-leading 14 RBI this season … Only two other Cardinals age 22 or younger have had as many RBI in their first 16 games: Joe Medwick (18 in 1934) and Albert Pujols (14 in 2002) … The last Major Leaguer age 22 or younger with 14+ RBI in their first 16 games was Fernando Tatis Jr. (18 in 2020). – Orf
START ME UP: Over the last five starts since May 12-present), the Cardinals rotation has recorded a 2.22 ERA (7er/28.1ip) with 24 strikeouts and an opposing .732 OPS .. All five starters pitched 5.1 innings or longer and allowed two earned runs or fewer in their starts.
WAINO REHAB: Adam Wainwright is scheduled to begin an injury rehabilitation assignment in Double-A Springfield on Wednesday afternoon at ammons Field, throwing approximately 55-60 pitches against Midland (AA-Athletics) … Wainwright has missed the first 16 games of the season due to a groin injury suffered in March while working out with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
BASES FULL OF BIRDS: St. Louis is hitting just .118 (2-17) with the bases loaded, 5th-lowest in MLB (Arizona is last at 0-for-3) … Cardinals
hits with the bases juiced include Nolan Arenado’s game-tying, 7th-inning, three-run double at Colorado on April 11 and Tommy Edman’s walk-off RBI single vs. the Pirates yesterday.
TWIN KILLINGS: The Cardinals lead MLB with 20 double plays turned defensively over the first 16 games this season … Last season, St. Louis also led MLB in twin killings (181), which was nearly 30 more than second place Colorado (154).
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: According to Elias, the Cardinals have played the 5th-toughest schedule (.586) to open the 2023 season, with their opponents combining for a .586 win pct … Oakland leads MLB with a .617 opponent win pct.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP JACK FLAHERTY (1-1, 1.76)
TONGHT’S GAME
NL Ranks: Opponent BA (.184, 5th), Walks (14, T-1st)
• Makes his 4th start of the season tonight and his 2nd at home.
• Is 2/3 innings short of qualifying for NL leaders in NL (1.76) which would rank 8th.
• Walked 13 batters in his first 10.0 IP, but issued just one free pass in 5.1 IP last Wed. (4/12) in his first career appearance at Coors Field.
• Needs one strikeout to tie Andy Benes for 27th all-time in Cardinals history at 614.
• Has held his opposition to six hits or fewer in 28 consecutive starts dating back to Sept. 20, 2020, 2nd only to Jacob deGrom (36; 8/19/20-present).
• Owns a career mark of 8-3, 3.02 ERA in 15 career starts in the monh of April. Had his streak of 6-straight April decisions snapped in his 4/7 start at MIL, with his previous April loss also vs. MIL in 2019.
• Trails only Wainwright & DeJong in years of Cardinals service on 40-player roster.
• Has held his opposition to a .206 career batting average, ranking 13th among MLB pitchers with more than 500 career innings pitched in the Live Ball Era (post-1920); just behind Nolan Ryan (12th, .204) and Sandy Koufax (14th, .205).
• Missed a total of 122 games last season due to a right shoulder injury (64 games from April 7-June 14 and another 58 games from June 27-Sept.4)
• Since becoming a full-time starting pitcher in 2018, ranks 15th among MLB pitchers with a 10.32 strikeouts/9 IP (min. 500 IP).
• St. Louis sports a 54-47 overall record in Flaherty’s 101 career starts. In his first 51 starts from his MLB debut (9/1/2017) until the 2019 All-Star Break, St. Louis went 21-30 (.412). In his last 48 starts (July 16, 2019-present), St. Louis is 33-17 (.688).
• In 101 career starts, is 35-10 when receiving 2+ runs of support, 28-2 when receiving 3+ runs, and 23-0 with 4+ runs of support. Has received 2 or fewer runs of support in 60 of 101 (59.4%) career starts.
• Is 20-13 in 50 career games (47 starts) at Busch Stadium. His .188 opponent batting average is the lowest in stadium history (min. 100 IP), while his 292 strikeouts (8th) and 2.79 ERA (7th) at Busch both rank in the Top 10 among all pitchers in the ballpark’s history (since 2006).
LAST TIME OUT
• Made his first career appearance at Coors Field and limited the Rockies to one earned run (lead-off HR) over his 5.1 IP, striking out 6 in the Cardinals 7-4 win last Wed. (4/12).
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
4/12 @COL W 7-4 — 5.1 5 2 1 1 6 1 85-56
2023
• Threw 5.0 innings of no-hit ball in his first start of the season vs. TOR (4/1), became the 16th pitcher since 1901 to issue seven walks in a scoreless and hitless outing of any length (Langs); and the 5th pitcher in Cardinals history to pitch exactly 5.0 innings without allowing a hit or a run in a start.
• Ran his streak of consecutive games with six hits or less to 27 in a 4-0 loss at MIL (4/7). Allowed just two runs on four hits. His 60th career start receiving two runs of support or less. Walked six batters in the game, first Cardinals pitcher to walk 6+ batters in consecutive games since Carlos Martínez (2018).
