KANSAS CITY — The Cardinals have operated with little room for error in August, a margin that was made all the dicier when they were swept by the Braves in the month’s first full series.
Their response has been swift, stellar and with swagger. It bubbled into two innings on Sunday, scoring seven runs in the first two frames off starter Kris Bubic for a 7-2 sweep-securing victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, representing their eighth triumph in their last nine games.
But their response will be further tested, more than it has over the course of this six-game winning streak against the last-place Pirates and Royals. Now St. Louis welcomes the first-place Brewers and their historically great trio atop the rotation, all set to pitch at Busch Stadium from Tuesday to Thursday. It’ll mark the clubs’ first matchup since May; they face each other 13 times down the stretch.
The statement made on Sunday — and over the course of three days across I-70 — was on the backs of Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt. The duo led the Cardinals’ 1-4 hitters with four RBIs through the first two innings, including Arenado’s two-run long ball to give himself a homer in each game this series. By the time the third inning rolled around, the top of St. Louis’ lineup was 7-for-8 with seven runs scored and five RBIs — plenty of room for J.A. Happ’s second consecutive win in a Cardinals uniform, with a 1.62 ERA in tow.
