Nootbaar hoping tough day won't be his Busch farewell as a Cardinal

ST. LOUIS -- For a second straight day, the Cardinals and Cubs needed extra innings to decide an outcome on Thursday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Unlike the heroics from the night before, the Cardinals’ bats didn’t have the answer for the Cubs’ two-run 10th-inning rally. St. Louis fell to Chicago, 4-2.

Chicago secured the series victory. St. Louis, meanwhile, further cemented its Trade Deadline destiny.

Lars Nootbaar, whose name will be a popular one for the rumor mill in the coming days, spoke to reporters at his locker while still wearing his jersey.

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He had taken an extra beat before retreating to the clubhouse after the game.

“Unfortunately, I was the last out of the game and sat there for a little bit,” Nootbaar said. “I was more so just upset with how my day went, personally. Couldn’t help these guys pull out that game. I took that game personally and then sat there and kind of thought. If it is, it’s been great -- but I don’t expect anything to happen.”

Nootbaar’s contemplative mood was as much about his perception of his role in the loss as it was about his future with the organization that drafted him, in the stadium where he blossomed into a fan favorite.

“Right now, I’m fortunate enough to be wearing the birds on the bat, and I have been for a while,” Nootbaar said. “So it’s been awesome. I wish it was on better terms [that] I was sitting on the bench, soaking it in.”

Aside from Nootbaar’s strikeout to end Thursday’s game, he seemed to be wearing heavily his moment of inattention that led to the Cubs’ first run in the fourth inning.

Nootbaar caught an Ian Happ fly ball in front of the right-field wall for the inning’s second out; he thought it was the third. Then, Alex Bregman scored from second base when Nootbaar’s delayed throw sailed beyond the cutoff man, tying the score.

Though the run ultimately was charged as earned to starter Andre Pallante, who permitted just two runs across 6 1/3 innings, it was an oversight for which Nootbaar wanted to take firm ownership.

“One hundred percent,” Nootbaar said. “I take accountability on that one. Unacceptable. Obviously, being one of the veterans on this team, a young team like that, it’s unacceptable, from my standpoint. Just compound it with, you know, lazy throw. It just isn’t right. I told the guys that I take full responsibility for this loss.”

Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol didn’t want to see Nootbaar fall on the sword alone.

“He made a mistake,” Marmol said. “This is one of the most prepared guys in that clubhouse. So he’s in my office right now and he’s hating it. He feels like this is on him, but it’s not, man. You’re going to make mistakes from time to time. This is a guy that, when it comes to preparation and being on point and attention to detail, he’s a leader in there. So it was unfortunate, but no one’s going to wear it or hold themselves accountable more than he is.”

Iván Herrera, Wednesday’s walk-off hero, was not available to ignite another rally when his spot in the order came up in Thursday’s final inning. Nelson Velázquez pinch-ran for Herrera in the eighth before Pedro Pagés assumed the spot behind the plate.

“You’re thinking about that in a couple of different ways,” Marmol said. “It is an upgrade in speed. If you get a ball down the line there, you want to give yourself the best opportunity. But also, you have [Dansby] Swanson and [Pete Crow-Armstrong] coming up the next inning. It controls the running game; with your closer on the mound, you want them to have to earn every base they get with Riley [O’Brien]. And [Pagés] does as good of a job of that as anybody.”

In that same lineup slot in the 10th, pinch-hitter Jimmy Crooks flied out to bring up Nootbaar as the last hope.

He didn’t come through. It’s fair to wonder whether it was his final moment as a Cardinal at Busch.

But he’s not packing for the upcoming road trip as though it was.

“I packed a six-day suitcase,” Nootbaar smiled. “I love this team. I can’t control any of that noise. I can’t preach ‘day to day’ and pack an extra suitcase and expect anything differently. So if whatever happens, happens. But, like I said, I’m taking this trip like another six-day road trip, expecting to come back with these guys. Hopefully get a couple series wins.”