CHICAGO -- When Dexter Fowler blasted Cole Hamels’ second pitch of the game to deep center field, Hamels reached out his glove and asked home-plate umpire Mark Carlson for another ball.
Hamels thought the ball was over the wall until he looked back and realized that the wind had brought it back in, and that Albert Almora Jr. had recorded the first out of Friday afternoon’s game at Wrigley Field.
Hamels wouldn’t have to doubt himself again.
The Cardinals couldn’t get anything going against the Cubs’ right-hander for eight innings, tallying just four hits in the 3-1 series-opening loss. Paul DeJong’s home run -- his second in as many days -- in the top of the ninth off Cubs closer Pedro Strop erased the shutout and was the lone bright spot for the Cards’ offense.
“I don’t do this very often, because I feel like it’s about what we do, and it is, it’s about what we do,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. “But when a guy is making those kind of quality pitches consistently, you have to just acknowledge that.”
As good as Hamels was for the Cubs, who have won four of their past five after the Cardinals swept them last weekend at Busch Stadium, Friday’s game fit into a recent trend for a Cards team still searching for its offensive footing.
The Cardinals have struck out 59 times in their past six games and 113 in their past 12 games. They’ve walked just 14 times in the past six games.
“We just have to figure out a way to do a little more damage when we get the opportunity,” Shildt said. “We’re starting to expand a bit. Probably getting a little impatient, little frustrated. We have to relax maybe a little more and just bear down and put a swing on the ball. That’s all we can do. We’ve got talented guys.”
The Cardinals were unable to make anything happen with their opportunities, though there were rarely opportunities in the first place. Other than DeJong’s home run, the Cardinals were 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position.
The RISP came on Harrison Bader’s double in the second inning, but Matt Wieters flied out to right fielder Jason Heyward to end the frame. Paul Goldschmidt walked in the fourth inning, but Marcell Ozuna lined out and Jedd Gyorko grounded into a forceout to end the frame.
The frustration continued in the sixth inning, when Fowler singled but was picked off at first base. DeJong struck out to end that frame.
“[Hamels] did well, but we have to find a way to be better if we want to win,” first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said. “Didn’t get any runs off of him for eight innings, it’s not going to be enough to win.”
Goldschmidt’s point speaks to the crux of an issue much bigger than losing a game in early June with 101 games left in the season. The Cardinals are trying to make it back to the postseason after a four-year hiatus. To do that, they have to get through the Cubs. And to do that, they’re going to have to find a way around Hamels at some point. Coming into Friday, Hamels had a 0.64 ERA in two starts vs. the Cards since being traded to Chicago.
Yet Cardinals have done it -- Hamels lost both of those starts, 2-1. One was last Sunday, when Hamels’ seven-inning, two-hit outing was overshadowed by Cards starter Adam Wainwright throwing eight scoreless innings with 126 pitches.
On Friday, Miles Mikolas was lifted early because of a right forearm contusion he suffered on a line drive in the fourth inning. The right-hander gave up three runs prior to his exit. He's expected to make his next start.
This time, Hamels was the veteran pitcher that shined.
Regardless of Friday’s result and the offensive trend, Shildt believes his team will come through as it has before. He sees the evidence in the seven- and eight-pitch at-bats the Cardinals are taking. They’re continuing to work the pitcher as the innings wear on.
“The quality of at-bats, as far as being able to take a tough at-bat, has been consistent throughout the lineup,” Shildt said. “It’s the finishing off the at-bat and being able to do damage. Keep fighting to get that pitch you can hit. Today, Hamels just wasn’t giving in.”