2020 MLB Season: Simulating NL games, June 22-26
By Bill Felber
In this 2020 MLB season sim, in the NL East, the Marlins prove pesky.
Chicago’s whitewashing of Cincinnati opened the door for the Cardinals in the Central. But St. Louis made minimal use of the opportunity, only breaking even against the Marlins in Miami.
The Cards showed up well enough Monday, riding Kwang-Hyun Kim’s six strong innings to a 7-0 victory. Kim fanned 12, walked none and allowed just four hits, and Paul Goldschmidt added a two-run home run.
One night later, however, the Marlins broke a 7-7 tie on Francisco Cervelli’s base hit off John Brebbia scoring Jonathan Villar, who had walked. To that point, the batting star had been Garrett Cooper, who hit a grand slam off Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas in the fourth and doubled home two more Miami runs in the sixth.
Jack Flaherty pitched St. Louis to a 4-1 victory Wednesday, allowing four hits in eight innings. But on Thursday, Sandy Alcantara tossed a one-hit 1-0 shutout, getting the better of Adam Wainwright, 7-0, who allowed just three this. The only run scored on Lewis Brinson’s fifth-inning single sending Mel Rojas across.
The only hit off Alcantara came in the fourth inning, a Paul DeJong single. The only other St. Louis baserunner came when Alcantara hit DeJong with a pitch in the first.
The Pirates made life difficult for the defending champions, taking three games of their four-game series. Chris Stratton ran his record to 4-0 with a three-hit 4-1 win Monday. Bryan Reynolds was the offensive spark, his home run driving in two runs. Josh Bell had three hits.
The Nats took Tuesday’s game 10-0 behind Aaron Voth’s two-hitter. But Trevor Williams pitched Pittsburgh to a 4-2 Wednesday decision over Max Scherzer, 9-4, getting a boost from Bell’s two home runs. On Thursday, Joe Musgrove held Washington to one run and four hits over eight innings of a 5-1 Pittsburgh win. Jose Osuna drove in three runs.
June 19-21 NL simulation: Cincy gains in St. Louis. light. Related Story
W-L Pct GB
Atlanta Braves 49-33 .598 —
Philadelphia Phillies 45-35 .563 3
Washington Nationals 41-40 .506 7.5
New York Mets 35-47 .427 14
Miami Marlins 32-49 .395 16.5