Carlos Martinez Strikes Out 10, Randal Grichuk Walks Off In Cardinals’ 4-3 Opening Day Win Over Cubs

The St. Louis Cardinals began the 2017 strong on Sunday night, earning 10 strikeouts from starting pitcher Carlos Martinez and a walk-off single from Randal Grichuk to secure a 4-3 home victory over the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs.

Randal Grichuk, Carlos Martinez, Cardinals Beat Cubs 4-3 On Opening Day

Grichuk’s walk-off, the second of his career, came on the Cardinals’ first Opening Day victory at Busch Stadium, the same day catcher Yadier Molina signed a three-year contract extension.

“Speechless,” Grichuk said afterward. “Obviously, doing it against our Central rival, the Cubs, who won it last year, that adds to it. It’s just a night I won’t forget.”

Jose Martinez, who was playing on an Opening Day roster for the first time in his career, provided a one-out pinch-hit double off Mike Montgomery to spark St. Louis’s game-winning rally. Two walks — including the first-ever no-pitch intentional walk in MLB history, per the league’s new rules — loaded the bases for Grichuk, who, after smacking a two-run homer to right-center field in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead, belted a 1-1 pitch off the wall in left-center in the ninth to seal the win.

St. Louis needed the bottom-of-the-ninth heroics after blowing a three-run lead in the top half of the inning. The Cardinals’ South Korean right-hander, Seung Hwan Oh, who was summoned for a five-out save, evaded a bases-loaded jam in the eighth but was unable to overcome Matt Carpenter’s defensive error in the ninth. Wilson Contreras then smacked a three-run homer to tie the score.

“We didn’t give up,” Cubs left-fielder Kyle Schwarber said. “We grinded. Willie hits the big homer — that’s kind of the definition of our team. We won’t give up until it’s over. We didn’t, and things didn’t go our way tonight.”

Contreras’ homer left Martinez with a no-decision after a fantastic 7 1/3-inning start. The youngest pitcher to make an Opening Day start for the Cardinals since 1989, the 25-year-old Dominican right-hander struck out a career-high 10 batters, including reigning National League MVP Kris Bryant three times, only allowed six hits, no walks, and never allowed a runner to advance past second.

“I like to take advantage of every opportunity I get, and certain opportunities don’t come around all the time, so I really wanted to take full advantage of it,” Martinez said of his first Opening Day start. “It wasn’t only just an opportunity to show St. Louis and the Cardinals that I’m the man for the job, but a chance to showcase my talent to the world.”

Cubs starter Jon Lester, meanwhile, struggled much more on Sunday. Although he held St. Louis hitless in seven at-bats with a runner in scoring position in his five-plus-inning start, the Cardinals got a run off him in the third. That inning began with Dexter Fowler earning an infield hit, his first since being leaving the Cubs for the Cardinals this offseason. Fowler then scored on Carpenter’s sacrifice fly.

Despite the loss, Cubs manager Joe Maddon praised Martinez for his performance. “Give [Carlos Martinez] a lot of credit — he had really good stuff from the beginning,” Maddon said. “He’s got as good a right-handed arm as anybody in the league.”

The Cubs and Cardinals will next face off again at Busch Stadium on Tuesday night at 8:15 pm EST. Jake Arrieta will make his season debut for the Cubs in this second game of the three-game series. Arrieta went 3-1 against the Cardinals last year, including seven shutout innings on Sept. 23, when he struck out 10.

After the Cardinals’ off-day on Monday, Adam Wainwright will start for the team on Tuesday. Wainwright, who finished 13-9 with a 4.62 ERA in 2016, is 13-8 with a 4.25 ERA in 40 career games vs. Chicago.

ST. LOUIS, MO – APRIL 2: Randal Grichuk #15 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a walk-off single against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning during the 2017 MLB Opening Day at Busch Stadium on April 2, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena