The Braves swept the Cardinals, knocking them out of first place. The 2020 MLB season hits the two-month mark. Here are the results for the NL.
The St. Louis Cardinals are battered, bruised, and operating without either of their top two catchers. But following their three-game sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, there’s one thing the Cardinals are not. They are not in first place in the NL Central.
The Cincinnati Reds supplanted crippled St. Louis atop the division standings, taking down San Diego in the Monday conclusion of a weekend series and winning two of three against Pittsburgh, all at home. The Cardinals have lost eight of their last 11 games, allowing the Reds to move into first despite playing just .500 ball over that period.
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The Cardinal offense has been hampered by the loss to injuries of both starting catcher Yadier Molina and backup Matt Wieters, as well as utility player Tommy Edman. All three are expected to be out for a week or more.
Molina was the latest to fall, bruising his collarbone in a collision with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt under a foul pop during Tuesday’s 11-1 defeat in Atlanta. The Braves had already won 5-3 Monday, Mike Foltyniewicz, 7-1, allowing three early runs and then shutting out St. Louis through seven innings. Ronald Acuna Jr., homered and drove in two runs.
Max Fried, 7-2, was the beneficiary of that Tuesday offensive explosion, most of which was overkill. Fried gave up just one run and four hits in six innings. With free-agent signee Bobby Wilson behind the plate Wednesday, Sean Newcomb ran his record to 10-3 with a 5-1 win, holding the Cardinals to just five hits.
In other National League games, the NL East’s last-place Mets walked into Philadelphia and swept the Phillies, dealing a harsh blow to the home team’s hopes of staying with the Braves. The Arizona Diamondbacks continued their running long-distance battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers, sweeping the Padres in San Diego while LA took three of four in Colorado.
Miami lost the Monday conclusion of its weekend series with the Washington Nationals, then went to Chicago and took two of three from the Cubs. The Giants lost a Monday game in Pittsburgh, then lost two of three to the Brewers in Milwaukee.