[Biggp07]

We had a 2-game series in St. Louis just before the All-Star break, where we split 1-1. This 2-game series at home, starting today, will finish our series against them for the year. The Cardinals are playing .526 ball this season, with a record of 61 wins and 55 losses. They sit in 2nd place in the Central Division, 0.5 games behind the leader. Their 602 runs scored rank 2nd in the National League, and their .259 batting average also ranks 2nd. Defensively, they have given up 549 runs (10th), with their starters posting an ERA of 4.67, which ranks 10th. Their bullpen has an ERA of 4.01, ranking 8th. When facing our Royals this season, they are 1-1.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
LHP D. Lynch IV (3-3, 5.63 ERA) vs LHP S. Matz (6-9, 4.87 ERA)
LHP A. Veneziano (2-1, 4.15 ERA) vs RHP T. Thornton (4-2, 4.23 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. RF Jordan Walker (Age: 22, Overall: 70, Potential: 80)
2. C Willson Contreras (32, 70, 70)
3. 3B Nolan Arenado (33, 65, 65)
4. SP Sonny Gray (34, 65, 65)
5. CL Ryan Helsley (30, 60, 60)

Scouting Discovery
Jason McLeod concluded his visit to Venezuela with some encouraging news today. He discovered a 16-year-old first baseman named Danny Hernandez, who might contribute to our organization in some capacity. Danny was born in Cumana, Venezuela. He’s good at working the count, but his poor plate discipline and tendency to strike out could limit his future success. Hernandez's career probably leans more toward journeyman than stardom, and like many prospects, his future remains uncertain, but he's worth monitoring. Danny Hernandez has been assigned to our international complex.



With a day off between the last series and the start of this one, our team appears to be rested and ready to go. Currently, our record is 52-65 with 45 games left in the season. If we can win half of those games, 22 or 23, that would put us close to the .500 mark, I think, to please our owner, John Sherman. It’s unlikely we'll get a wildcard, but miracles can happen. Let's set a realistic goal to finish the season by winning half of our remaining games and see where that puts us in the standings.

Game Summary – August 9th – Cardinals Deal Royals 6-1 Loss



St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Steven Matz was in excellent form, leading his team to a 6-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Matz was the winning pitcher, tossing 7.1 innings and allowing just 1 run. The losing pitcher was Daniel Lynch IV. Hunter Harvey secured the save, his first in two chances. St. Louis benefited from a timely hit by Paul Goldschmidt, who drove in a 2-run double in the top of the fifth inning to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. Although it was his only hit in three at-bats, it was a crucial contribution.

"You work hard, day in and day out, hoping to give the fans something to cheer about. Today was a good day," Goldschmidt told the St. Louis News. St. Louis raised its record to 62-55 with the win.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Steven Matz
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Partly Cloudy (75 degrees), wind blowing out to the left at 10 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:00
Attendance: 28697