Post by Fish Troll on Apr 3, 2007 0:07:31 GMT -5
Carpenter, Cards downed in opener
Right-hander battles control issues; offense stifled by Glavine
By Matthew Leach / MLB.com
ST. LOUIS -- The setting could not have been more perfect. Location, however, proved to be a problem for Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals on Sunday night.
After raising the banner commemorating their first World Series championship in 24 years, the Cards fell to the Mets, 6-1, in Major League Baseball's season opener at Busch Stadium. New York gained, at best, a very small manner of retribution for last year's St. Louis victory in the National League Championship Series.
The festivities were splendid, as was the weather on a perfect night for baseball. But once the ceremonies ended, the Cardinals turned in a frustrating performance in all aspects of the game.
The location of Carpenter's pitches was amiss throughout his fourth career start in a season opener, and the location of the balls the Mets hit against him didn't help much either. The Cardinals' bats were stifled by Tom Glavine, their defense sprung unexpected leaks and the champs even gave away outs on the bases.
Carpenter frequently missed spots, especially with his fastball. He also suffered at the hands of a number of perfectly-placed singles, making an already tough night even more unfriendly. The right-hander took his first loss in four career season-opening starts.
"The location of my fastball was horrible," Carpenter said. "When you don't make good pitches, you're falling behind in the count and you have to make quality pitches. You don't do that, and you get beat. That's what happened."
His teammates, meanwhile, were mystified by Glavine, who extended his career-long mastery of the Redbirds. The Hall of Fame-bound left-hander won for the 19th time in 25 regular-season decisions against St. Louis.
The Cardinals mustered few baserunners against Glavine, and when they did put men on, they squandered chances. They hit into four double plays, lost a runner at third when a squeeze attempt did not succeed, and had a runner thrown out at home.
"They made some great plays, but also, he was that good," said Preston Wilson, who went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and a double play. "He really was. When you look back at the film, there weren't too many pitches that he threw that were right in the middle of the plate."
It was thus a frustrating night all around for the reigning World Series champions, who lost their home opener for only the third time in the past 11 years. St. Louis had won its past two season openers and four out of five.
Carpenter's troubles started with a single by Glavine in the third. Glavine was erased on a force play at second base, but with two outs, Carpenter hit Carlos Beltran with a pitch. He then left a curveball up and away to Carlos Delgado, and Delgado drilled it the opposite way for a two-run double.
An inning later, Carpenter's location worsened, while the Mets' placement improved. Shawn Green singled off David Eckstein's glove and into left field. Jose Valentin singled, Glavine put down a sac bunt and Jose Reyes walked, loading the bases.
Paul Lo Duca took advantage with a chopper that squeezed through the middle of the infield for two runs, and Beltran added a second RBI single of virtually the same variety.
"They hit some nice balls up the middle," Carpenter said. "I wasn't making good pitches. Balls were out over the plate, good hittable pitches. To a lineup like that, you make some mistakes and they're going to capitalize on it."
The more Carpenter fell behind in the count, the more he had to keep going back to his faulty fastball. That led to fat pitches in fastball counts, which in turn led to base hits -- nine in six innings. Carpenter needed 101 pitches to get 18 outs. He allowed more than three runs for the third time in four career Opening Day starts, raising his career ERA in openers to 7.08.
The Cards picked up a run off Glavine in the sixth when Eckstein doubled home Skip Schumaker, but Eckstein was thrown out at home on a Wilson single. Carlos Beltran made a risky throw as Wilson motored to second, but when Eckstein was retired, the risk was rewarded.
"I was just running," Eckstein said. "And they said he threw an absolute BB home. He's a great player. He has all five tools that everyone talks about, and he showed it tonight."
Even with a walk and a hit batter as the inning went on, the Cards scored no more runs. Five consecutive batters reached base for St. Louis in the sixth, yet only one came home.
It was déjà vu of a sort in the eighth as the Cardinals put three of their first four batters on base. With the sacks full, Scott Rolen drilled a ball up the middle. But Valentin speared it and started a 4-6-3 double play, ending the threat.
"That's about my best bullet," Rolen said. "That's all I've got right there. Swift kick to the ... never mind."
The Cards took plenty of those kicks throughout the night. Wilson hit into a 5-4-3 double play in the first inning after Eckstein collected the first base hit of the year. Adam Kennedy was caught in an unsuccessful squeeze attempt after he hit a one-out triple in the third. Jim Edmonds and Kennedy each hit into a twin killing.
St. Louis fell to 53-61-2 all-time in season openers, including 34-29 at home. The Cardinals are 2-5 in openers against the Mets.
Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Right-hander battles control issues; offense stifled by Glavine
By Matthew Leach / MLB.com
ST. LOUIS -- The setting could not have been more perfect. Location, however, proved to be a problem for Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals on Sunday night.
After raising the banner commemorating their first World Series championship in 24 years, the Cards fell to the Mets, 6-1, in Major League Baseball's season opener at Busch Stadium. New York gained, at best, a very small manner of retribution for last year's St. Louis victory in the National League Championship Series.
The festivities were splendid, as was the weather on a perfect night for baseball. But once the ceremonies ended, the Cardinals turned in a frustrating performance in all aspects of the game.
The location of Carpenter's pitches was amiss throughout his fourth career start in a season opener, and the location of the balls the Mets hit against him didn't help much either. The Cardinals' bats were stifled by Tom Glavine, their defense sprung unexpected leaks and the champs even gave away outs on the bases.
Carpenter frequently missed spots, especially with his fastball. He also suffered at the hands of a number of perfectly-placed singles, making an already tough night even more unfriendly. The right-hander took his first loss in four career season-opening starts.
"The location of my fastball was horrible," Carpenter said. "When you don't make good pitches, you're falling behind in the count and you have to make quality pitches. You don't do that, and you get beat. That's what happened."
His teammates, meanwhile, were mystified by Glavine, who extended his career-long mastery of the Redbirds. The Hall of Fame-bound left-hander won for the 19th time in 25 regular-season decisions against St. Louis.
The Cardinals mustered few baserunners against Glavine, and when they did put men on, they squandered chances. They hit into four double plays, lost a runner at third when a squeeze attempt did not succeed, and had a runner thrown out at home.
"They made some great plays, but also, he was that good," said Preston Wilson, who went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and a double play. "He really was. When you look back at the film, there weren't too many pitches that he threw that were right in the middle of the plate."
It was thus a frustrating night all around for the reigning World Series champions, who lost their home opener for only the third time in the past 11 years. St. Louis had won its past two season openers and four out of five.
Carpenter's troubles started with a single by Glavine in the third. Glavine was erased on a force play at second base, but with two outs, Carpenter hit Carlos Beltran with a pitch. He then left a curveball up and away to Carlos Delgado, and Delgado drilled it the opposite way for a two-run double.
An inning later, Carpenter's location worsened, while the Mets' placement improved. Shawn Green singled off David Eckstein's glove and into left field. Jose Valentin singled, Glavine put down a sac bunt and Jose Reyes walked, loading the bases.
Paul Lo Duca took advantage with a chopper that squeezed through the middle of the infield for two runs, and Beltran added a second RBI single of virtually the same variety.
"They hit some nice balls up the middle," Carpenter said. "I wasn't making good pitches. Balls were out over the plate, good hittable pitches. To a lineup like that, you make some mistakes and they're going to capitalize on it."
The more Carpenter fell behind in the count, the more he had to keep going back to his faulty fastball. That led to fat pitches in fastball counts, which in turn led to base hits -- nine in six innings. Carpenter needed 101 pitches to get 18 outs. He allowed more than three runs for the third time in four career Opening Day starts, raising his career ERA in openers to 7.08.
The Cards picked up a run off Glavine in the sixth when Eckstein doubled home Skip Schumaker, but Eckstein was thrown out at home on a Wilson single. Carlos Beltran made a risky throw as Wilson motored to second, but when Eckstein was retired, the risk was rewarded.
"I was just running," Eckstein said. "And they said he threw an absolute BB home. He's a great player. He has all five tools that everyone talks about, and he showed it tonight."
Even with a walk and a hit batter as the inning went on, the Cards scored no more runs. Five consecutive batters reached base for St. Louis in the sixth, yet only one came home.
It was déjà vu of a sort in the eighth as the Cardinals put three of their first four batters on base. With the sacks full, Scott Rolen drilled a ball up the middle. But Valentin speared it and started a 4-6-3 double play, ending the threat.
"That's about my best bullet," Rolen said. "That's all I've got right there. Swift kick to the ... never mind."
The Cards took plenty of those kicks throughout the night. Wilson hit into a 5-4-3 double play in the first inning after Eckstein collected the first base hit of the year. Adam Kennedy was caught in an unsuccessful squeeze attempt after he hit a one-out triple in the third. Jim Edmonds and Kennedy each hit into a twin killing.
St. Louis fell to 53-61-2 all-time in season openers, including 34-29 at home. The Cardinals are 2-5 in openers against the Mets.
Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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