ST. LOUIS -- Through August and the second half of this season, Paul Goldschmidt has started to appear more like his old self -- a constant on-base threat with the ability to clear the bases and put a charge into a ball to all fields.
Need any firmer indication than the veteran first baseman accomplishing something he hadn’t done since 2019?
Goldschmidt laced a pair of solo homers off Tigers starter Tarik Skubal -- two of St. Louis’ three hits off the stingy Detroit rookie -- before Lars Nootbaar played hero with a walk-off single in the 10th inning of Wednesday afternoon’s 3-2 win over the Tigers at Busch Stadium. It was the Cardinals’ only win in four tries against Detroit this season thanks to Goldschmidt’s first multihomer game since September 2019, ending a 3-5 homestand on a positive note.
“Goldy was huge, showed up, got it done,” said manager Mike Shildt. “Did his recipe, driving the ball over the ballpark. … Obviously was a huge part of the game for us offensively, where, quite candidly, we didn't do a whole lot.”
It was poetic, then, that Goldschmidt was the runner who came home on Nootbaar’s first career walk-off hit, a seeing-eye single poked through the right side of the infield -- another highlight for the fan favorite as he makes the most of his opportunity and gets consistent looks at the Major League level.
“I always wanted to know what it felt like,” Nootbaar said of a walk-off hit, “but now it's here.”
Wednesday was a continuation for Goldschmidt rather than an aberration. He has a .345 batting average and 18 RBIs so far in August thanks to 11 extra-base hits (four homers, seven doubles).
After lacing two more homers on Wednesday, Goldschmidt has six games left in August to pad his stats against the Pirates and Reds. Each contest will be crucial if the Cardinals have any hopes of staying alive and snatching the second NL Wild Card spot.
Most impressive for Goldschmidt were the pitches he hit out. Neither was a mistake from Skubal, who led the Tigers’ pitching staff with 10 of its 14 strikeouts, tying a season high for St. Louis. Goldschmidt’s homer in the first inning was on a 93.9 mph first-pitch fastball up and in the zone. The second came on a well-placed knuckle curve on the outside part of the plate.
"I don't even regret the first pitched one, that's exactly where I wanted the ball to go,” Skubal said. “He just kind of jumped me. That happens. It's unfortunate he runs the ball out of the yard, but I think the first pitch in the first at-bat is a quality pitch for me. And then even the curveball [in] the second at-bat that he takes [and] hits opposite field is also a quality pitch. … He's a good hitter, he's a strong guy."
In true Goldschmidt fashion, what he’ll take away from Wednesday’s affair are the few instances in which he didn’t come through. Asked generally about his day, Goldschmidt pointed to his at-bats in the fifth and seventh, when he popped out and struck out with runners on as the Cardinals tried to pad their lead.
“A good job right there by the team to kind of pick me up,” said Goldschmidt.
A bad day at the office, by Goldschmidt's standards, that merely helped send his team home with a much-needed win.
“The guys that are driving the ball up the middle, the other way, are usually hitting their furthest homers,” Shildt said. “[Goldschmidt] hit another absolute tank today to left, and then he stays on one and smokes it and drives it out to right. He's getting good pitches, not doing too much, got a nice stroke going and using the whole field.”