51ºÚÁÏ

Well, after all that, they’re back where they started. Not the worst place to be. But man, after the first two games of the Cubs series, the Cardinals seemed destined to … sweep? At least to win the series, right?

But they didn’t score another run.

And so, the Cards remain 4 ½ games back of the first-place Cubs.

As the series began, I wrote that the Cardinals are a good team, but this four-game series could “control their fate unlike any other.� After winning 8-2 in Game 1 and 8-7 in Game 2, it looked that way. But getting shut out in Games 3-4 — at home! — shows the Cardinals aren’t a great team, yet. It was an uneven series with uneven Cardinals pitching and hitting. The only thing stable was the suddenly jaw-dropping defense of Alec Burleson, who made a quintet of catches worthy of social media.

This series was, frankly, an indication of what 2025 will continue to be. To quote Lars Nootbaar: “It’s going to be a battle.�

But the Cards only play the Cubs 13 times with the newer scheduling, instead of the traditional 19, so 51ºÚÁÏ missed out on prime opportunities to pounce. Yes, Wednesday’s game was just, simply, bad. But the Cards were in it here at Busch Stadium on Thursday afternoon, if only by the main arbiter, that being runs scored. The Cards were down 2-0 for the majority of the game, but had mustered only one hit for the majority of the game, which was only good for a lone reason, that being a potential reference to Bob Uecker’s broadcasting character in “Major League.â€�

Uecker: One hit, that’s all we got, one (bleep bleep) hit?

Producer: You can’t say (bleep bleep) on the air!

Uecker: Don’t worry, nobody’s listening.

The Cards, mercifully, mustered three total hits in the paltry performance on Thursday. Hat-tip to the Cubs starter and southpaw Shota Imanaga, but if you’re going to beat the best, you have to beat some of the best pitchers on the best.

Sure, the Cards could’ve used the injured Ivan Herrera (and even Jordan Walker) as a right-handed bat in the final two games. But if we’re playing the injury game, the Cubs could’ve used their All-Star ace Justin Steele, who is out for the year.

A push in the standings didn’t happen, so the series wasn’t a success. But the Cards showed they’re unafraid of the Cubs and can compete with the Cubs, so that’s quite encouraging, especially since 51ºÚÁÏ plays at Chicago from July 4-6.

“Thankfully, we get to see them in a week, and then kind of go at it again, duke it out more,� Nootbaar said.

Hopefully for 51ºÚÁÏ, the Cards won’t have Erick Fedde pitching in that series. He’s really slipping, it seems. He was the losing pitcher on Wednesday night. His ERA is 4.11 and his expected ERA, as computed on Baseball Savant, is 4.99 and in the 10th percentile (100th being best).

Thursday’s afternoon loss was particularly brutal because it was such a brutally hot day outside — the fans held on, hoping for, dare they, consecutive hits. Finally, in the ninth inning, two Cards indeed got on base — Burleson smacked a double and Willson Contreras was hit on the top of his hand by an errant fastball. But Nolan Arenado struck out, Thomas Saggese struck out and Nolan Gorman struck out.

Cubs win. Cubs win.

The Cards lost 3-0 — they hadn’t been shutout in back-to-back games since September of 2022. And it was the fifth-straight time at home that 51ºÚÁÏ lost a series finale.

Now, before they reach Wrigley, there are games to be won. Cleveland is right around .500 — and Cards ace Sonny Gray pitches Friday. And after that, there are three games against putrid Pittsburgh. But little is guaranteed with the Cardinals — this is a good team, but not a great one. They have to prove their greatness first.