Wacha has worst career start in loss to Cubs
ST. LOUIS -- Unable to feast during the seemingly soft portion of the schedule that just passed, the Cardinals entered Friday ready to reset against their rivals. A troubling start from Michael Wacha, however, precluded much positive momentum.Opening a 19-game stretch against clubs with winning records, the Cardinals suffered a
ST. LOUIS -- Unable to feast during the seemingly soft portion of the schedule that just passed, the Cardinals entered Friday ready to reset against their rivals. A troubling start from
Opening a 19-game stretch against clubs with winning records, the Cardinals suffered a 13-5 loss to the Cubs that got out of hand while Wacha endured his shortest start of the season and the worst of his career.
"Just one of those days," manager Mike Matheny said after the club's fifth loss in its last seven games at Busch Stadium. "It's one of those blips you have to let go and get ready for the next one."
Nine of the Cubs' runs came off Wacha, who entered the night having allowed two earned runs or fewer in 10 consecutive starts. He had been especially stingy with the long ball, having served up just three since his first start of the season.
The Cubs equaled that total before Friday's game even became official. All three traveled well over 400 feet.
Home runs by
"They were all elevated [pitches], middle of the plate," Wacha said. "I just have to do a better job of locating and getting it where I need it to go."
Particularly surprising was the success the Cubs had jumping on Wacha's offspeed offerings. Happ's homer came off a changeup, and Schwarber's on a hanging curveball. Prior to Friday, opponents had slugged just .183 off Wacha this season. That ranked fourth best in the Majors.
"I think for us it was more about focusing on us going out and getting our pitch," said Schwarber. "The guy has got a really good fastball and really good stuff, period, and he doesn't make many mistakes. We tried to capitalize on those mistakes, and we did."
Wacha, who was seeking to become the first Cardinals pitcher since 2009 to win nine straight decisions, allowed as many hits (seven) over four innings as he had in his last three starts combined. His ERA jumped from 2.47 to 3.24; the eight earned runs allowed matched a career high.
Aside from a pair of solo homers from
Tommy Pham added a solo shot in the eighth to give the Cardinals their 11th three-homer game of the season. They had been 9-1 in such games entering the night.
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Ozuna extended his hitting streak to eight games with a solo homer in the fourth inning that registered an exit velocity of 112.9 mph. According to Statcast™, it was the third-hardest-hit home run by the Cardinals this season and the second-hardest by Ozuna, who has six of the team's top nine home run exit velocities. Ozuna has gone deep four times during his current hitting streak and has four multihit games.
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
The Cardinals challenged a pair of calls in the third inning, but only one was overturned in their favor. That one benefited Wacha, who was awarded an infield single after replay confirmed that he beat
The Cards were not as fortunate later in the frame, when they requested a second look at a close play at first. A review of one minute and 16 seconds confirmed the Cubs' pickoff of
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Winless in two starts since returning from the disabled list,
Jenifer Langosch has covered the Cardinals for MLB.com since 2012, and previously covered the Pirates from 2007-11. Follow her on Twitter, and Facebook.