DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:
TIGERS RALLY FOR SERIES-OPENING WIN AGAINST ST. LOUIS: The Tigers scored three runs in the top of the seventh to overcome a one-run deficit and held on for a 5-4 win on Friday night. Javier Báez had three hits, including a two-run homer, while Riley Greene went 1×2 with a double and two RBI. Matthew Boyd started for Detroit and improved his record to 2-2, allowing three runs on five hits with six strikeouts in 6.0 innings. The Tigers bullpen worked through some tense moments late in the game with Jason Foley and Mason Englert stranding the bases loaded in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, while Alex Lange struck out three in a row after a leadoff double in the ninth for his sixth save.
JAV MERCY: Javier Báez continued his hot stretch at the plate last night, recording three hits, including a first inning two-run homer. After not homering in his first 96 plate appearances of the season, Báez has gone deep three times in his last 16 trips to the plate. Báez has hit safely in 15 of his last 17 games with at least one at-bat, over which he is slashing .359/.417/.578 with five doubles, three home runs and 14 RBI. Dating back to April 13, Báez ranks third in the American League in batting average, while he is seventh in on-base percentage and eighth in OPS (.995).
EASY BEING GREENE: Riley Greene went 1×2 with a two-run double in last night’s game, extending his hitting streak to nine games, which is the second-longest hitting streak of his career behind only a 13-game streak from August 20-September 4, 2022. During his current streak, Greene is batting .343/.378/.457 with a double, a home run and five RBI.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT: Alex Lange earned his sixth save of the season last night, allowing a leadoff double, but coming back to strike out three consecutive hitters. Lange has not allowed a run in 12 consecutive appearances, throwing 12.0 innings with only five hits allowed, tree walks and 21 strikeouts. Entering today’s game, Lange ranks tied for sixth in the American League with 16 appearances and eighth in saves.
TIGERS AND CARDINALS: The Tigers and Cardinals continue their only series of the season this afternoon. The two teams last met in 2021 with Detroit winning three-of-four games, including splitting a two-game series at Busch Stadium. The Tigers have a 28-14 advantage in the all-time series, including an 11-8 edge in games played in St. Louis.
INTERLEAGUE ACTION: The Tigers continue their interleague schedule today against the Cardinals. Detroit has started the season 8-1 against National League foes. The Tigers have finished with a winning record against NL opponents in each of the last two seasons.
ON THE ROAD: The Tigers are 1-0 on their current six-game road trip, which includes three games at St. Louis (1-0) and three games at Cleveland (May 8-10). Detroit is 6-10 on the road this season. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .204/.275/.318 away from Comerica Park, while the pitching staff has a 4.66 ERA (139.0IP/72ER).
TIGERS ON THE IL:
• RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort, 15-day IL on March 30, retroactive to March 27)
• OF Kerry Carpenter (right shoulder sprain, 10-day IL on April 29, retroactive to April 28)
• RHP Matt Manning (right foot fracture, 60-day IL on April 12)
• OF Austin Meadows (anxiety, 60-day IL on April 8, retroactive to April 7)
• RHP Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on February 17)
• RHP Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on March 27)
• LHP Tarik Skubal (left elbow strain, 60-day IL on March 14)
• RHP Trey Wingenter (right biceps tendinitis, 15-day IL on April 22, retroactive to April 19)
TODAY’S TIGERS STARTING PITCHER – #56 Spencer Turnbull • 1-4, 6.84 ERA (26.1IP/20ER)
• Turnbull will make his seventh start of the season this afternoon against the Cardinals.
• Took the loss in his last start on Sunday against Baltimore, giving up three runs, two earned, on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
• Will be making his first career appearance against the Cardinals and at Busch Stadium this afternoon.
• Made nine starts in 2021 and went 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA (50.0IP/16ER) and 44 strikeouts…limited opponents to a 0.98 WHIP and a .203
batting average.
• Threw the eighth no-hitter in Tigers history on May 18, 2021 at Seattle, striking out nine and walking two…was the first no-hitter by a Tigers pitcher since Justin Verlander on May 7, 2011 at Toronto.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The Cardinals continue their six-game homestand (0-3 vs. LAA, 0-1 vs. DET) this afternoon with the middle game of their three game series against the Detroit Tigers…after being swept in consecutive three-game series by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels, and a loss last night, the Cardinals are trying to snap a season-high seven-game losing streak, the longest active losing streak in MLB, and their longest skid since a seven-gamer in 2017…the Cardinals last losing streak of eight or more games was a nine-gamer in September of 2007…the Redbirds have won two of their first 10 series this season, and split one.
ROSTER MOVES: The Cardinals announced the following roster moves prior to today’s game:
• INF/OF Taylor Motter designated for assignment
• C Tres Barrera (#63) selected from Memphis (AAA)
• RHP Guillermo Zuñiga optioned to Memphis (AAA)
• RHP Adam Wainwright activated from the 15-day Injured List
WELCOME BACK WAINO: After missing the first 33 games of the season due to a groin injury, Adam Wainwright is set to begin what he’s indicated will be his final Major League season, with a start this afternoon…Waino, 41, is playing in this 18th season, 19th overall as a member of the Cardinals…he missed the 2011 season due to elbow surgery…Adam, who made his ML debut on Sept. 11, 2005 at the New York Mets, is 2nd to Stan Musial (22) and Yadier Molina (19) in seasons played for the Cardinals…He’s 5 wins shy of 200 career and needs one home win to tie Jesse Haines (107) for 2nd all-time among Cardinals.
LONG IN THE TOOTH: Adam is squaring off against the Tigers for the first time since June 19, 2009…it’s been 13 years, 324 days since his last start against Detroit…he’s actually had a longer stretch between appearances when he went 14 years and 64 days between starts against Cleveland (June 27, 2006 to August 20, 2020). (Elias)
STOPPER: Wainwright was 6-4 with a 2.10 ERA in his 10 starts last season that followed a Cardinals loss…for his career he’s 95-49 with a 3.45 ERA in games that followed a Cardinals defeat…since 2020, Wainwright is 17-7 with a 2.88 ERA (175.0 IP) in 27 starts following a team loss, T-5th most wins in MLB over that time span.
ROAD MAPS: History shows that slow starts similar to the one the Cardinals have experienced can still lead to postseason’s promised land…as recently as 2005 the Houston Astros rose from a 12-21 mark to defeat the Cardinals for the NL Championship and earn a World Series date with the White Sox…the 1974 Pirates went from 11-22 to win the NL East…the 1989 Blue Jays (12-31) & 2013 Dodgers (13-30) also went on to win Division titles, and the 1914 Boston Braves started 10-22-1 before going on to win 94 games and the World Series against the Philadelphia Athletics.
STOP THE STREAKS: The Cardinals, while having now lost a season-high seven straight, have not converted a save in 19-straight games
since April 14 (Gallegos vs. PIT)…they’ve not won consecutive games since April 11-12 at COL…THE YEAR WAS 1999: The last time the
Cardinals experienced a 33-game stretch with 10 or fewer wins was from Aug. 22 (Game 1) to Sept. 27, 1999. (also 10-23).
SURELY YOU CAN’T BE SERIES-OUS?: St. Louis is the lone MLB team to be winless (0-11) in series openers this season, marking a
franchise record of consecutive series-opening losses to begin a season. The MLB record still resides in the same city with the 1897 St.
Louis Browns dropping their first 14 series openers. The 1978 Cardinals lost 20 straight series opening games from April 14-June 16,
marking the franchise record for longest streak. (Elias)
MISSOURI HISTORY: The Cardinals are the first MLB team to begin a season 0-11 in series openers since the cross-state Kansas City
Royals (0-13) did so in 1981…the Royals rebounded that year to make the playoffs after winning the AL West in the second half of the
strike interrupted split season (STATS).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP ADAM WAINWRIGHT (11-12, 3.71 ERA IN 2022)
TODAY’S GAME
2022 N.L. Ranks: Innings Pitched (191.2, 8th), Starts (32, T3rd), Complete Games (1, T3rd), Batters Faced (803, 5th), Pitches/Game (97.9, 4th), Total Pitches (3,133, 4th), Run Support (120, 2nd), Run Support Avg. (5.63, 2nd), HR/9 IP (0.75, 8th)
• Is set to make his season debut today after missing 33 games due to a groin injury he suffered while working out during the WBC Finals.
• It’s his 18th season played with the Cardinals, 2nd only to Stan Musial (22) and Yadier Molina (19). His 19th season overall as a Cardinal, missing all of 2011 (elbow surgery)
• Made two injury rehab starts for Springfield (AA) and one for Memphis (AAA).
• Begins 2023 season 5 wins shy of 200 career, 15 wins from 210 (T2nd all-time STL history with Jesse Haines) and 10 games started for 400 career.
• Needs one Home win to tie Jesse Haines (107) for 2nd all-time among Cardinals.
• At age 41, Waino is one of four active players age 40+ with Rich Hill (43), Nelson Cruz (42) and Miguel Cabrera (40)
• Is making his 39th start after age 40, tying Jesse Haines (39, 1933-37) for 2nd among Cardinals behind only Pete Alexander (80, 1927-29).
• He and Yadier Molina finished with 328 career games as battery-mates together. They set a new MLB career record on Sept. 14, 2022 by passing the 324 career starts mark set by Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan of the Detroit Tigers (1963-75).
• His 390 career starts rank 3rd all-time among Cardinals pitchers: Bob Gibson (482) & Bob Forsch (401).
• Waino’s 390 career starts, all with St. Louis, rank 15th-most exclusively with one organization in MLB history, while Gibson (482) ranks 6th. Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators leads at 666.
• Has recorded 10 different seasons of 25+ starts, tied with Bob Forsch for 2nd in franchise history (Bob Gibson, 13). Zack Greinke (15), Justin Verlander (14), Max Scherzer (12) and Clayton Kershaw (10) have as many or more among active pitchers.
LAST TIME OUT
• Made his final rehab start last Sun. (4/30) for Memphis (AAA) at the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay)…fanned nine over 5.2 IP and gained the win in 10-9 decision…allowed a 3-run HR in the 3rd inn.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
4/30 @DUR W 10-9 W-1 5.2 7 4 4 1 9 1 89-61
BUSCH STADIUM III (2006-present)
• Has 106 career regular-season wins at Busch Stadium III, tying Dazzy Vance (Ebbets Field) for 22nd-most wins at a single stadium.
• Is tied with Lance Lynn and Trevor Rosenthal for most Postseason appearances at Busch (13). Leads in PS starts (8), IP (62.0), strikeouts (72) at Busch III.
• Is one of 22 pitchers in MLB history to hold a stadium’s record for both appearances (235) and starts (204). Joins Bob Forsch (233 app/207 GS at Busch II) as Cardinals on that list.
• Has 1,175 regular-season strikeouts at Busch Stadium III, 15th-most all-time at a single stadium.
