Rink23's Cardinals: Getting back to the top

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MLB news: All-Star game fan voting for June 26

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Game 77: Cardinals 5, Reds 1, at Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati
Rec/Std/GA: 41-36, 1st, 1.5 GA Cubs
W: De La Cruz 8-3, 3.53. L: Woolfolk 2-2, 2.76. HR: Kendall 7, Hedges 10, Ozuna 16.
Player of the game: Cardinals starting pitcher Oscar De La Cruz allowed one run on four hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked three.

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MLB news: Big day at the plate for BoSox' Benintendi

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MLB news: Week 11 Players of the Week, Power Rankings and Standings

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MLB news: Week 11 AL leaders

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MLB news: Week 11 NL leaders

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After taking the final three games of a four-game series in Cincinnati, the Cardinals head out west for a quartet of games against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.
The Diamondbacks are 41-35 and sit in third place in the NL West, but are just 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
* The Cardinals have sent rookie catcher Zachary Jackson back to AAA Memphis. Jackson struggled during his time in the majors, batting just .13 with a home run and just one RBI in 17 games.
Coming up from Memphis is utility player Chris Owings, who the Cardinals signed as a free agent on June 20.
Owings, who is a right-handed hitter who can play multiple positions, batted .182 with one homer and two RBIs in five games with the Redbirds.

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Game 78: Diamondbacks 4, Cardinals 2, at Chase Field, Phoenix
Rec/Std/GA: 41-37, 1st, 1 GA Cubs
W: Cecil 2-1, 4.39. L: Gray 2-2, 2.42. Sv: McCullough 4, 2.83. HR: Ellis 6.
Player of the game: Cardinals starting pitcher Jon Gray allowed four runs on five hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked two.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have sent right-handed pitcher Ryan Helsley back to AAA Memphis, in order to make room for veteran right-hander Jake Odorizzi, who will move up from the Redbirds.
Odorizzi, who is 5-3 with a 5.13 ERA in 15 starts for Memphis, will be starting for the struggling Miles Mikolas.
Helsley, who is likely to be recalled soon after Odorizzi makes his start, got into just two games but did record a win. His ERA in the majors is 1.35.

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Game 79: Diamondbacks 6, Cardinals 3, at Chase Field, Phoenix
Rec/Std/GA: 41-38, 1st, 0.5 GA Cubs
W: Carkuff 3-2, 2.97. L: Odorizzi 0-1, 9.00 Sv: McCullough 15, 2.75, HR: Salazar 7.
Player of the game: The Diamondbacks' Cesar Salazar was 2 for 4 with a homer, two runs scored and an RBI.

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MLB news: Freeman hits HR No. 300 while playing for Detroit

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Right-handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi didn't fare well in his first start for the Cardinals -- allowing six runs over five innings -- and when he refused to be demoted to AAA, he was traded to the Washington Nationals for right-handed relief pitcher Joan Baez.
In addition to be an outstanding folk singer with a Woodstock performance on her resume, Baez was 2-3 with a 6.68 ERA in 21 games for the Nationals AAA team in Syracuse.
He has been assigned to AAA Memphis.
Right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley has been called back up from the Redbirds.

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Game 80: Diamondbacks 3, Cardinals 2, at Chase Field, Phoenix
Rec/Std/Tied: 41-39, 1st, tied with Cubs
W: Zych 3-1, 7.00. L: Heller 4-1, 4.15. Sv: Tabor 4, 3.38. HR: Tellez 12, Fedducia 2, Chisholm 12.
Player of the game: D'backs starting pitcher Robbie Ray allowed one ruon on one hit in six innings. He struck out five and walked three.

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Game 81: Cardinals 3, Diamondbacks 0, at Chase Field, Phoenix
Rec/Std/GB: 42-39, 1st, 1 GA Cubs and Cincinnati
W: Corbin 2-0, 2.12. L: Cahill 5-1, 2.33. Sv: Watts 4, 3.25. HR: Arenado 19.
Player of the game: Cardinals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin tossed seven shutout innings, allowing two hits. He struck out six and walked three.

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MLB news: Players and Pitchers of the Month for June

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MLB news: Rookies of the Month for June

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Cards news: Team statistics at end of June

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Player of the month: Outfielder Jeren Kendall, Called back up to the majors after a poor April, Kendall had an impressive month batting .316 with five home runs and 10 RBIs in 25 games. He scored a total of 17 runs and stole six bases. His on-baseball percentage was .426 and e had a slugging percentage of .526.
Starting Pitcher of the month: Oscar De La Cruz went 4-1 in five starts with an ERA of 3.81. He struck out 28 batters in 28.1 innings and boasted a WHIP of 1.16.
Relief pitcher of the month: Patrick Corbin, the left-hander moved into the rotation mid-month but pitched well no matter the role going 2-0 with two saves in eight games, including two starts. He pitched a total of 26.2 innings and struck out 24 batters. His WHIP was 0.90 and his ERA was even lower at 0.67.

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After taking the final game of their series in Arizona against the Diamondbacks to avoid a four-game sweep, the Cardinals will return home for a three-game interleague series against Cleveland Indians.
At 43-36, the Indians are tied for first in the AL Central with the Chicago Detroit Tigers.

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Team owner Bill DeWitt Jr. also dropped me a note, which I will largely ignore.
* He's not happy with the record, even though the team is in first place in the NL Central, but at 42-39 neither am I. Here's hoping getting a few injured reliever back in the second half can help turn things around.
* He's upset Ender Inciarte, due to be a free agent after the season, has not been offered an extension.
Well, he's batting .214 with one home run and 11 RBIs and rookie Jeren Kendall just had the best month of any player on the roster in June.
It looks like Kendall will be the center fielder moving forward, and Inciarte will not be worth the money to keep him.
* He liked the off-season signing of reliever Alfredo Uribe, but would like to see another move.

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MLB news: Braves acquire Chapman in deal with Phillies