ST. LOUIS CARDINALS NOTES:
RECENT REDBIRDS: The defending NL Central Division Champion St. Louis Cardinals conclude their first roadtrip (MIL-3, COL-3) of the season today with the rubber game of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field…the Cardinals snapped a two-game skid with a 9-6 come-from-behind win last night to improve their road trip record to 2-3…the Cardinals, with a win today, can secure their first series win since taking 2-of-3 in their season-opening series against Toronto…the Cardinals have not won consecutive games at Coors Field in the same calendar year since back-to-back wins here Sept. 19- 20, 2016…this week marks the Cardinals lone series visit to Denver, their first games here in the month of April since 2003…the Rockies will visit St. Louis for a three-game series August 4-6.
TAP THE ROCKIES: St. Louis has won their season series vs. the Rockies in each of the 12 seasons (2010-2022) and 21 times in 27 seasons since Colorado joined MLB as an expansion team in 1993. WILD, WILD WEST: Since 2019, the Cardinals are 38-12 at home vs. the National League West, but just 20-30 on the road.
MILE HIGH HIKE: The Cardinals are one of just three NL teams that have never had a pitcher throw a complete game at Coors Field…the Cardinals (104 games played at Coors), Cubs (99) and Mets (98) make up that group…the Cardinals, who also had no route-going efforts in their 12 games played in 1993-94 at Denver’s Mile High Stadium, also lack a complete game effort in their 57 alltime games played at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.
A NIGHT FOR NOLANS: Starring at a 6-2 deficit in their 7th last night, the Cardinals climbed back to even when Nolan Arenado cleared the bases with a 3-run double, the Cardinals first hit of the season with the bases loaded (they had been 0-for-8 with just 1 RBI)…Nolan Gorman then sparked a three-run 9th inning with a titanic blast to right, his team-leading 3rd homer of the season, helping to secure the 9-6 comeback win.
DONNY’S DEFENSIVE GEMS: Making his first start of the season in left field last night, Brendon Donovan, the first-ever recipient of the Rawlings Gold Glove for a Utility player, made his team-high 4th defensive gem of the season with a leading grab at the track in the 8th inning… Donovan already has had defensive gems at three positions this year, also doing so at 1st base on Monday and a previous pair at 2nd base.
BURLEY CYCLE: Rookie Alec Burleson collected his 2nd career professional triple Monday night, and his first in the majors…by doing so, Burley became the first Cardinal to hit for the season cycle in 2023 with at least one single, double, triple and homer…Burleson also extended his hitting streak to 6 games, the 5th longest active streak in the NL.
INNING BY INNING: The Cardinals have struck for a season-high 13 runs in their 3rd innings and 10 in the 4th…they are still looking to score a run in both the 2nd inning and 5th inning this season…they have left a combined 21 runners on base in their 2nd & 5th innings.
WALKER MAKING HISTORY: Rookie Jordan Walker singled in the 7th inning last night to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, extending his Cardinals rookie record for the longest hitting streak to begin a career…the Rockies David Dahl (2016) and Reds Chuck Aleno (1941) hold the MLB rookie record for longest hitting streak to begin a career at 17 games. (Elias)
SPLENDID: Jordan Walker’s 11-game hit streak to begin his career is just the 2nd all-time by a player age 20 years or younger… Philadelphia Athletics outfielder Eddie Murphy hit safely in each of his first 12 games in 1912 at age 20…Walker on Monday night passed Ted Williams (1939, age 20) who hit in 9-straight games to launch his Hall of Fame career…current Cardinals Bench Coach Joe McEwing holds the Cardinals franchise rookie record for longest hitting streak, doing so in 25 games (June 8-July 4, 1999), the 8th-longest hit streak in franchise history…Walker and the Phillies’ Bryson Stott (11) entered play today with the majors’ longest hit active streaks.
ROOKIE RANKINGS: Rookie outfielder Jordan Walker, the Cardinals 1st round draft selection in 2020, is the MLB rookie leader in hits (14) and in batting (.326) among rookies; he ranks 6th in OPS (882)…his 8 RBI rank 3rd behind the Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe (10) and the Dodgers’ James Outman (9)…Walker’s first 14 hits have come off of 14 different pitchers.
CLOSE TO CARGO: Nolan Arenado who hit his 1st homer of the season and 300th of this career Sat. at Milwaukee, is currently ranked 4th
all-time in Coors Field homers (138), one back of Carlos “Cargo” Gonzalez (139)…he’s HR’d twice at Coors as a member of the Cardinals OFF THE BAT: According to Baseball Savant, St. Louis ranks T1st in MLB in hard hit balls of 95+mph (140) with the Dodgers and 5th in average exit velocity (90.6 mph)…Jordan Walker (19), Paul Goldschmidt (18) & Nolan Arenado (17) are pacing the team in hard hit balls
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP JACK FLAHERTY (1-1, 1.80)
TODAY’S GAME
NL Leaders: Opponent BA (.133, 3rd), Walks (13, T1st), pitches/game (94.5, T12th)
• Makes his 3rd start of the season, first against the Rockies in 2023 and first career start at Coors Field. Is one of 11 active pitchers to make 100 or more career starts without pitching at Coors Field; teammate Jordan Montgomery is among them at 110 (Elias).
• Is 15-9 with a 2.45 ERA in 35 career day game starts. Ranks 6th among active pitchers in day game ERA behind deGrom (2.05), Chapman (2.25), Kimbrel (2.33), Kershaw (2.40) and Alcántara (2.42).
• Needs five strikeouts to tie Theodore Breitenstein for 30th all-time in Cardinals history and seven to tie Andy Benes for 29th at 614.
• Has walked six or more batters in each of his first two starts of the season. If he walks six batters today, he will be the first Cardinals pitcher to notch three consecutive appearance with six or more walks since 1931 (“Wild” Bill Hallahan – also started the season with three straight) and the 5th Cardinals pitcher all time (Roy Golden – 5, Bill Hallahan, Bob Harmon & Jack Dunleavy – 3).
• Has held his opposition to six hits or fewer in 27 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, 3.12 ERA in 14 career starts in the monh of April. Had his streak of 6-straight April decisions snapped in his last start at MIL, with his previous April loss also vs. MIL in 2019.
• Trails only Wainwright & DeJong in years of Cardinals service on current roster.
• Has held his opposition to a .203 career batting average, ranking 13th among MLB pitchers with more than 500 career innings pitched in the Live Ball Era (post-1920); sandwiched between 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 53-47 overall record in Flaherty’s 100 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 47 starts (July 16, 2019-present), St. Louis is 32-17 (.653).
• In 100 career starts, is 34-10 when receiving 2+ runs of support, 27-2 when receiving 3+ runs, and 23-0 with 4+ runs of support. Has received 2 or fewer runs of support in 60 of 100 (60.0%) 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
• Worked around six base on balls in his 5.0 IP, but allowed 2 runs on four hits and fell to the Brewers by a 4-0 score last Friday (4/7) in the opening game of the current road trip.
DATE vs. RESULT DEC IP H R ER BB SO HR NP-S
4/7 @MIL L 4-0 L-1 5.0 4 2 2 6 3 0 94-50
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).
COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:
WHAT’S HAPPENING
• The Colorado Rockies finish their 2023 opening homestand today, facing the St. Louis Cardinals for the rubber match of the three-game set … split a four-game series against the Washington Nationals to begin the homestand.
• The Rockies dropped last night’s game 9-6 after holding a 6-2 lead entering the seventh inning … it was their largest blown lead in a loss since letting San Francisco come back from a 6-2 deficit on Sept. 19, 2022 for an eventual 10-7 win.
• Colorado will head to Seattle tonight … following an off day tomorrow, the club faces the Mariners for three games Friday-Sunday, before returning home to host the Pittsburgh Pirates April 17-19.
TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN
• Through 12 games, the Rockies average game time of 2:33 is slightly below the league average of 2:37 … in 2022, the Rockies did not play a game shorter than 2:32 until their 21st game of the season, a 4-3 win over Cincinnati on April 30 (2:31) … 16 of their games across that span were over three hours … Colorado has yet to play a game in 2023 that has lasted longer than three hours (longest: 2:56).
• The Rockies’ shortest game of the season was a 2:03 affair April 2 in San Diego, the 12th-shortest game in Rockies’ history, the shortest since a 1:58 time of game on July 1, 2008 … in that contest, Aaron Cook tossed a 79-pitch complete-game shutout against the Padres at Coors Field, one of only nine CGSO tossed at Coors Field at the time.
• The shortest game in team history came on June 30, 2006 at Seattle when the Rockies topped the Mariners 2-0 in 1:52.
THE BATS ARE ALIVE
• The Rockies have recorded double-digit hits in each of the last five games and rank third in the Majors with 114 hits on the season … their string of five games with double-digit hits is their longest since a six-game string Aug. 3-8, 2021.
• The Rockies’ 27 doubles are the third-most in the Majors … six different Rockies (Bryant, Daza, Diaz, McMahon, Montero, Tovar) have at least three doubles, tied with the Mariners for the most players with three or more doubles in the Majors.
FIRE UP THE FOUNTAINS
• C.J. Cron’s four home runs are tied for the fourth-most in the National League … his home run last night measuring 479 feet is the second-longest in the Majors this season trailing a 483-foot blast from Giancarlo Stanton.
• The Rockies have hit 13 home runs through 12 games thus far in the season … their average of 1.08 home runs per game is up from the team’s 0.91 mark in 2022 and their 1.00 mark on the road surpasses the Rockies’ 0.63 mark from last season.
WHAT’S IN THE CARDS
• The Rockies host the Cardinals for the third of six games between the two clubs this season … will travel to St. Louis for a three-game set Aug. 4-6.
• Colorado went 2-4 against St.. Louis in 2022, winning two of three at Coors Field Aug. 9-11 and getting swept in St. Louis Aug. 16-18.
• Colorado is 104-127 all-time against the Cardinals, holding a home record of 62-54 with a +78 run differential (744-646) … have won each of the last three home series vs. St. Louis since 2019.
• The Rockies are 42-73 all-time in St. Louis, and have not won a series there since 2009 … are 6-35 overall at Busch Stadium since 2010, including 0-12 since Aug. 1, 2018.
CB AS DH
• Charlie Blackmon has gone 10-for-29 (.345) with one double, one home run and three RBI in seven games as the designated hitter … his batting average and OBP (.407) both lead the Majors among qualified hitters playing as the DH while his slugging (.520) ranks fifth.
• Since the universal DH was introduced at the start of 2022, Blackmon is hitting .274 (98-for-358) in 87 games as the designated hitter, good for the third-highest average in the Majors (min. 300 AB) … was a National League Silver Slugger finalist at DH in 2022.
KBOOM
• Kris Bryant has reached base safely in 19-straight games dating back to July 24, 2022 at Milwaukee, hitting safely in 17 of 19 games across that span (.338/.410/.473) … it is the third-longest active on-base streak in the Majors and the longest in the NL.
• Bryant has reached base in 49 of his 54 games played with the Rockies
ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #51 JOSÉ UREÑA RHP
THE SECOND TIME AROUND
• Made 17 starts in a Rockies uniform in 2023, going 3-8 (Rockies 6-11) while posting a 5.14 ERA (89.1 IP, 51 ER) with 38 walks and 60 strikeouts … allowed 10 home runs while opponents slashed .289/.356/.425 (102- for-353).
• Was signed by the Rockies to a Minor League contract on May 16 … was a member of Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster and made four appearances out of the bullpen before being designated for assignment on May 2.
• Re-signed by the Rockies to a one-year Major League contract on Nov. 11, 2022.
ONWARDS
• Has failed to make it out of the third inning in either of his first two starts, allowing 10 total runs (eight earned) on 12 hits across five innings this season … has walked seven and struck out two.
• Is the first starter in franchise history to begin a Rockies season with two starts of less than three innings … RHP Victor Santos (Sept. 14 & Sept. 22, 2002) and RHP Marvin Freeman (April 27 & May 2, 1995) each began their seasons with two such starts, but not at the beginning of the Rockies’ season.
• The last Rockies starter to pitch fewer than two innings in consecutive starts at any point of the season was Antonio Senzatela in 2019 (July 20 & Aug. 25), although Senzatela had a stint on the IL between starts … the last Rockies starter to do it in successive starts with no IL or option between was RHP Juan Nicasio in 2013 (Sept. 17 & 22) … Greg Reynolds is the only pitcher in franchise history to pitch fewer than
three innings in three-straight starts (July 4-Sept. 21, 2008).
THE FINAL STRETCH
• Spun at least five frames and allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last five starts for the Rockies in 2022, good for a 2.25 ERA (28.0 IP, 7 ER) through that span.
COORS FIELD
• Was 2-5 (Rockies 3-5) in eight starts at Coors Field in 2022, posting a 6.30 ERA (40.0 IP, 28 ER) with 18 walks and 29 strikeouts … allowed opponents to bat .311 (51-for-164) with six home runs … walked multiple batters in seven of eight starts (4.05 BB/9).
• Received a total of nine runs of support across his eight starts, with seven of those runs coming Aug. 19 vs. San Francisco in a 7-4 Rockies win … received no runs five times and one run twice.
A BIRD IN THE HAND
• Is 2-1 with a 7.66 ERA (22.1 IP, 19 ER), 11 walks and 18 strikeouts in five career appearances (four starts) vs. the Cardinals … lone relief
appearance came as a member of the Brewers on April 15 of last season (3.0,3,2,2,1,2).
• Last start against St. Louis came in 2018 in Busch Stadium … 2-1 with a 7.91 ERA (19.1 IP, 17 ER) as a starter vs. the Cardinals.
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE
• Had his contract selected from Triple-A Albuquerque on July 6, 2022 and made his first start in a Rockies uniform that night at Dodger Stadium.
• Did not factor into the Rockies’ 2-1 loss despite tossing 6.2 innings and allowing one run on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts … tossed six scoreless innings before exiting the game in the seventh inning with the bases loaded and two outs … runner came around to score on a wild pitch by reliever Jake Bird.
• 11th start of his career, third on the road, tossing at least 6.2 innings and allowing one or fewer runs (last: April 14, 2019 vs. Philadelphia).
• Became the 15th pitcher in franchise history to toss at least 6.2 innings and allow one or fewer runs in his first start with the club (last: Tim Melville, Aug. 21, 2019 at Arizona).
SWEET AND SOUR AND SWEET AGAIN
• Began his Rockies career in 2022 with three-straight quality starts July 6-16, going 1-1 with a 1.45 ERA (18.2 IP, 3 ER) over that span …
became the fifth Rockie in franchise history to record a quality start in each of his first three starts with the club, joining Joe Kennedy (four-straight, 2004), Jon Garland (2013), Jason Jennings (2001) and Bryan Rekar (1995).
• In his start on Aug. 24 vs. Texas, became the first Rockie in history to allow at least nine hits and nine earned runs in 1.1 innings or fewer, the 24th in Major League history (last: Mike Fiers, Sept. 9, 2021 at Houston; 1.0 IP, 9 H, 9 ER).
• Earned his first win as a Rockie on July 16 vs. Pittsburgh, tossing six scoreless innings in a 2-0 Rockies win … sixth time in his career tossing at least six scoreless, the first time since July 29, 2018 vs. Washington.
• In 17 starts with the Rockies, posted seven quality outings and allowed five or more earned runs four times.
SUPPORT SYSTEM
• Received two or fewer runs of support in 14 of his 17 2022 outings, including one run and zero runs six times each.
• His 2.42 run support average was the lowest in the Majors (min. 15 GS) … lowest RSA by a Rockies starter in a single-season in franchise history (min. 15 GS).
BREW CREW
• Was signed by the Brewers to a Minor League contract on March 29, 2022 and had his contract selected to the Major League roster on March 30.
• Made four relief appearances with the Brewers in April before being designated for assignment on May 2 … cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Minors on May 9 … refused his Minor League assignment and declared free agency the same day.
• Was scoreless in two of four relief outings, allowing a combined five runs (three earned) on seven hits across 7.2 innings (3.52 ERA) … walked five while striking out three. • Last relief outing came on April 26 at Pittsburgh … allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits across 2.1 innings.
