While one Cardinals rookie silenced the Reds through seven innings Tuesday night at Busch Stadium, another Cardinals rookie produced a long-awaited offensive lift that supported his starter and helped propel his team to a win.
In the third inning, as starter Michael McGreevy worked around some early traffic vs. Cincinnati to protect a 1-0 lead provided by a sacrifice fly from Nolan Arenado, shortstop Thomas Saggese connected on a two-run home run to mark his second of the season and first since early April.
Saggese鈥檚 blast to left field extended the Cardinals' lead, which would be protected by McGreevy鈥檚 first scoreless outing since pitching six scoreless innings vs. the Cubs on Aug. 8. The 3-0 shutout win over the Reds at Busch Stadium was completed with scoreless innings of relief by JoJo Romero and Riley O鈥橞rien, both of whom were unavailable Monday night because of usage.
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O鈥橞rien鈥檚 scoreless outing secured him his fifth save of the season.
McGreevy鈥檚 outing matched a season-high and was his longest since twirling seven innings on July 21 against the Rockies. It outlasted that of his Tuesday night counterpart, Andrew Abbott.
After forcing Abbott to throw 29 pitches in the first inning, the Cardinals (74-78) continued to work Abbott鈥檚 pitch count to 82 by the end of the fourth inning and chased him from his start with two outs in fifth inning following 96 pitches thrown by the lefty. The grinding at-bat led to eight hits and three runs scored off Abbott.
Saggese ends homer drought
Homerless in 245 consecutive plate appearances following his single in the first inning, Saggese ended his home run drought when he pulled a 3-2 changeup from Abbott into the Reds bullpen in left field.
The two-run homer, which extended the Cardinals鈥 lead to 3-0, had an exit velocity of 107.7 mph, per Statcast. It marked Saggese鈥檚 third in the majors and his first-career home run at Busch Stadium. His other two homers came at Rogers Centre in Toronto and Fenway Park in Boston.
Before receiving a changeup from Abbott on the sixth pitch of his at-bat, Saggese took back-to-back fastballs for balls to begin the at-bat, then fouled off back-to-back changeups. After taking a fastball that just missed below the strike zone, Saggese got a third changeup that he lifted 391 feet for his third homer in the majors.
Gold Glove defenders back McGreevy
Pitching with two Gold Glove award winners behind him on the infield, McGreevy benefited from snazzy plays by Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan in the second and third innings.
When McGreevy put runners on first and second base to begin the second inning, the rookie right-hander got Tyler Stephenson to hit a chopping ground ball to third base. The ground ball forced Arenado, a 10-time Gold Glove award winner, to charge in towards the third base bag and fielded it on a short hop. Arenado stepped on the bag for the force out and made an off-balance throw across his body to first base to complete a double play.
McGreevy got through the scoreless inning with a groundout of Ke鈥橞ryan Hayes after walking Elly De La Cruz in the next at-bat.
An inning later, Donovan鈥檚 positioning on a ball that kicked off Alec Burleson鈥檚 glove helped McGreevy record a groundout of TJ Friedl.
Burleson tried to field Friedl鈥檚 ground ball on his glove side but saw it kick off his glove on a trajectory behind him. Donovan leapt, fielded the baseball with his bare hand, and made a quick throw to McGreevy covering the bag.
Friedl was originally ruled safe by first base umpire Ryan Additon as it appeared McGreevy鈥檚 was pulled off the bag by Donovan鈥檚 throw, but a replay review overturned the call.
A new career-high for McGreevy
While he kept the Reds to no runs over seven innings, McGreevy worked around a career-high in walks allowed with three.
In 19 appearances (17 starts) in the majors heading into Tuesday, McGreevy did not walk more than two batters in any of those outings and ranked in the 99th percentile for walk rate in the majors with 3.6%.
McGreevy issued a leadoff walk in the second inning to Reds rookie Sal Stewart on six pitches as he fed the righty four breaking pitches in the at-bat that all missed the strike zone. The double play turned by Arenado on Stephenson鈥檚 ground ball later and Hayes鈥 ground out following a four-pitch walk to De La Cruz later in the inning helped McGreevy work around the free passes.
The third walk by McGreevy was a leadoff walk to Friedl to open the sixth inning. Back-to-back strikeouts of Gavin Lux and Noelvi Marte and a groundout of Stewart got the Cardinals righty through the inning.
McGreevy last issued three or more walks in a game in a professional setting on April 27 while pitching for Class AAA Memphis.
In today鈥檚 10 AM 鈥淭en Hochman鈥 video, Ben Hochman discusses the insane run that former Cards fan favorite Harrison Bader is on! Plus, a happy birthday shoutout to Prince Harry! And as always, Hochman picks a random Cards card out of the hat!
Photos: 51黑料 Cardinals lose 11-6 to Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium
51黑料 Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) looks out from the dugout as he prepares to go on the field for the eighth inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
Brendan Donovan, right, shakes hands with John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, as he is honored as the Cardinals' nonimee for the Roberto Clemente Award before a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. Donovan was nominated for his philanthropy work supporting veterans and the environment.
51黑料 Cardinals outfielder Alec Burleson (41) reacts to getting hit by a pitch from Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tony Santillan (64) in the seventh inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals outfielder Nathan Church (27) misses the catch in the outfield in the eighth inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez prepares to pitch in the eighth inning of a game against the Reds on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
51黑料 Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) motions in celebration of a double in the seventh inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) watches the ball as he prepares to run to first base in the fourth inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) watches the game from the dugout in the seventh inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
A federal judge reads an oath naturalizing 20 people as permanent citizens before a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. The new citizens are from 11 different countries and were naturalized in observance of Constitution Day on Sept. 17.
51黑料 Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) looks to catch a fly ball in the third inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) wears a '21' patch on his jersey in honor of being nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award in the sixth inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (21) reacts as he gets out in the fifth inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan (21) celebrates a run in the sixth inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera is hit by a pitch from Reds starting pitcher Zack Littell in the sixth inning of a game Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
51黑料 Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (37) talks to 51黑料 Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras (40) in the dugout in the sixth inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) is out at second base by Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) on a double play in the second inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals pitcher Matthew Liberatore (52) pitches in the first inning a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras celebrates a double behind Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (43) in the second inning of a game on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
51黑料 Cardinals designated hitter Iv谩n Herrera (48) watches as he hits a foul ball in the first inning a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
51黑料 Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) walks with 51黑料 Cardinals third base coach Ron 'Pop' Warner (75) after getting out in a double play in the second inning of a game between the 51黑料 Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in 51黑料, on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.
