Cardinals Fall to Diamondbacks After All-Star Break

Early Dominance by Arizona

The Cardinals’ first game back from the break was encouraging, but Saturday turned into a rough affair against the Diamondbacks. Arizona attacked from the first inning, plating runs through a lively rally that included Nolan Arenado’s early single and Gabriel Moreno’s two‑out blow that drove in the opener. Ketel Marte’s leadoff single and a wild pitch by Dustin May helped the hosts build a 2‑0 cushion before Arenado doubled the advantage to 4‑0. Brandon Pfaadtstered the pitching staff, while the Diamondbacks kept adding to the lead, showing why they entered the game as the stronger offensive side. By the end of three frames the Cardinals trailed 4‑0, a deficit that would prove difficult to erase.

Cardinals Offseason Spark

St. Louis finally broke through in the sixth inning, stringing together a handful of timely hits. JJ Wetherholt led off with a single up the middle, followed by Alec Burleson’s base hit that placed a runner in scoring position. Jordan Walker came through with a patient single that plated Wetherholt, pulling the Cardinals within three runs at 5‑2. Lars Nootbaar added another hit to load the bases, though Masyn Winn’s groundout kept the rally from gathering steam. The Cardinals managed two more runs before Nathan Church’s pop‑out ended the threat, leaving the scoreboard at 5‑2.

A Late Rally That Came Up Short

The visitors threatened again in the seventh, with José Fermín drawing a walk and Bryan Torres lining out to keep the inning alive. JJ Wetherholt’s second hit of the night singled past third base, bringing runners to scoring position, but Iván Herrera struck out and Alec Burleson popped out to close the frame. The Cardinals got a glimmer of hope in the ninth when José Fermín struck out, prompting manager Oli Marmol to pinch‑hit for Jimmy Crooks. Crooks launched a 91‑mph fastball 443 feet into the right‑center gap, nipping the deficit to 5‑3. JJ Wetherholt struck out on the next at‑bat, and Iván Herrera’s lineout to right sealed the 5‑3 final.

Dustin May’s Mixed Bag and Next Steps

Dustin May struggled in his return from the break, pitching five innings while surrendering eight hits and five earned runs, striking out six and walking four. The outing reinforced concerns heading into the trade deadline, with President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom reportedly listening to offers for May. Despite the poor result, the loss also cast a spotlight on the Cardinals’ need for a reliable arm in the rotation. Looking ahead, the team will line up Andre Pallante for his first start after the break, facing Eduardo Rodriguez in a Sunday matinee at Chase Park. Broadcast coverage will be available on Cardinals.tv, with first pitch set for 3:10 p.m. central time.