最新杏吧原创

Facing the Pirates and their All-Star starter Braxton Ashcraft, the Cardinals scored two runs on six hits before the right-hander was removed following a sixth inning of work. In the seventh, two hits and two walks against reliever Camilo Doval earned the Cardinals two additional runs to cut into the 5-2 lead the Pirates built against Matthew Liberatore, who gave up four runs and two homers in 5 2/3 innings, and Luis Gastelum, who allowed a run in one inning of relief.

But later in the seventh inning, after a sacrifice fly by leadoff hitter Bryan Torres and an RBI double by Ivan Herrera, the Cardinals offense fizzled with a chance to take the lead. Cleanup hitter Jordan Walker struck out against Doval with runners on second and third base, and Nolan Gorman flew out to right field to end a key scoring chance in a 5-4 loss at Busch Stadium.

鈥淎shcraft does a nice job, man. He's having a good year. Throws the ball well and did a nice job against us,鈥� Marmol said. 鈥淚 liked some of the at-bats we were able to put together there and then off some of the relievers. I feel like we played this style of game quite a bit but (came out) on the wrong side of it again.鈥�

With their second-to-last homestand of the year up and their final game in August played, what does Marmol hope to see from his club across September?

鈥淲hat we've been seeing. Even a game like today, no one gave in. It would have been easy to, but they just continue to figure out a way to take at-bats and get back in games,鈥� Marmol said. 鈥淟isten, it's no secret when (shortstop Masyn Winn) is out, (second baseman JJ Wetherholt) is out, (starter Hunter) Dobbins is down.

鈥淏ut other guys are stepping up. ... It's an opportunity for guys to show what they're capable of doing. Just being consistent with our identity, which I feel like our guys have done that.鈥�

The Cardinals will kick off their final stretch of the regular season Tuesday in Los Angeles with the first game of a three-game series against the reigning back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers. Tuesday鈥檚 game will be the first of nine games played on a three-city trip that includes stops in Colorado and San Francisco before a return to 最新杏吧原创 for the final regular-season homestand of the year.

The Cardinals will arrive Tuesday at Dodger Stadium with a record of 68-70 and with their pace in the National League wild-card race slowing. They sat five games back of the third NL wild-card spot by Sunday night. Although active rosters will expand from 26 players to 28 on Tuesday, the Cardinals will look to their depth to fill in for absences created by injury.

This past week, the Cardinals took a turn through their rotation without Andre Pallante (right elbow inflammation) and Dobbins (right forearm tightness). They placed Winn (left thumb fracture) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and third baseman Blaze Jordan (left ankle sprain) on the IL on Friday. On Sunday, Wetherholt (right wrist tendinitis) landed on the 10-day IL.

The absences have created some of the "opportunity" mentioned by Marmol.

Wetherholt was filling in for Winn at shortstop, but his absence created an opening for a teammate to take that position on the field and his leadoff spot in the batting order. Marmol used Sunday's game to give Torres a chance to hit from the leadoff spot and Thomas Saggese a chance to start at shortstop while Jose Fermin remained at second base.

The performances by those who filled in showed what can be done with an opportunity.

After Wetherholt started 127 games as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter, Torres was slotted atop a big league lineup for the first time in his career. The 29-year-old rookie entered Sunday with a .252 batting average. He ended the day batting .264 after collecting two hits while walking once, scoring a run and driving in a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning against Doval. The run he scored came on a single from Burleson that notched Burleson his 100th RBI of the season.

"I love watching what Torres did today in the leadoff spot. He just took some gritty at-bats," Marmol said.

At the bottom of the order, Saggese hit ninth while filling in at shortstop and totaled a season-high three hits. They came while he played "free."

"Just trying not to force the issue," Saggese explained.

"There are a lot of times it's like, 'Oh, I need to get a hit,' rather than (thinking), 'Let me just see the ball and compete.' Do what I prepared to do instead of doing the little things that lead to the hits," Saggese continued.

Saggese singled in the third inning to set up a chance for the Cardinals to hit with runners in scoring position. His single in the fifth with two outs vs. Ashcraft was followed by a walk by Torres and an RBI single from Herrera that scored him. Herrera's single scored the Cardinals' first run after Liberatore gave up homers to Esmerlyn Valdez and Jared Triolo and an error by Ramon Urias left them trailing 4-0.

In the seventh, Saggese's single vs. Doval allowed Urias to reach third base to set up Torres' sacrifice fly.

"He (Saggese) shortened to the ball. Found a way to get some knocks today," Marmol said.

Marmol said Saggese may get "a little bit of an opportunity" to handle shortstop duties with Winn, who is eligible to come off the IL by Tuesday, and Wetherholt both sidelined.

The 24-year-old Saggese said he鈥檚 taking season's final stretch day by day.

"When I'm in the lineup, I'm in the lineup, and when I'm not, I'm not,鈥� Saggese said. 鈥淏ut every day is kind of an opportunity to get better.鈥�