Royals can't back Cameron's strong start, fall 6-5 to Cardinals in extras

By MATT PIKE

St. Joseph’s Noah Cameron pitched another gem, but the St. Louis Cardinals hit the Kansas City Royals bullpen hard, and in extra innings the Cardinals took game one of a doubleheader, winning 6-5 in 10 innings at Busch Stadium. 

Jonathan India got the Royals started off on the right foot, getting Cameron the lead early and on the first pitch, hitting a leadoff home run into left field to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead.  In the bottom half of the inning, Cameron quickly worked through the St. Louis lineup,  retiring the first three batters on 12 pitches, striking out Brendan Donovan to end the inning. 

Cameron’s roughest inning of the game was the second inning, which started with back to back walks, throwing 25 pitches, but still got out unscathed. The Royals extended the lead in the fourth inning behind back to back doubles, the first coming from Salvador Perez, before top prospect Jac Caglianone notched his first major league hit and RBI, driving in Perez with a double down the right field foul line. 

Vinnie Pasquantino singled in the fifth inning, scoring Bobby Witt Jr, to push the Royals ahead more, giving Cameron a 3-0 lead, which he exited with after six innings of work as manager Matt Quatraro went to his bullpen, calling on John Schreiber for the seventh inning. 

With his six scoreless innings of work, Cameron becomes the 1st pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela (1981) to spin six plus innings pitched with one run or fewer allowed in each of his first five MLB starts.  Cameron struck out three and walked two, also giving up just two hits in the start. 

St. Louis cut the lead to one against Schreiber in the seventh.  Willson Contreras doubled and Iván Herrera singled, putting runners on the corners, before Nolan Arenado grounded into a forceout where the Royals were unable to turn a double play, Contreras scoring and Arenado being safe at first as Herrera was out at second.  Yohel Pozo later in the inning hit a sacrifice fly scoring Arenado. 

In the eighth, the Cardinals took the lead, against Taylor Clarke who had seemed to find his groove after some rough seasons, Herrera giving the Redbirds the lead on a two run home run to center field driving in Donovan and himself. 

Kansas City forced extra innings though against Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley.   Michael Massey singled, and was pinch ran for by Nick Loftin, which was followed by a single by Kyle Isbel, moving Loftin to third base.  India’s deep fly ball to left field scored Loftin to tie the game, and moved Isbel to second base, allowing Helsley to intentionally walk Witt Jr.   Maikel Garcia popped out to end the inning. 

After St. Louis did nothing in the bottom half of the inning, Garcia started the 10th at second base, and was promptly driven in for the Royals lead by Pasquantino on a single, though the Royals could do no more and Carlos Estévez was brought on to try to earn the save, with Pozo starting the bottom half at second for the Cardinals. 

Lars Nootbaar’s single  moved Pozo to third base, and Pozo later scored in the next at bat, Nootbaar moving to second, on a groundout by Masyn Winn.  Estévez intentonally walked Donovan, setting up the force out at any base, but Contreras singled into left field, bringing Nootbaar home for the walk off win. 

JoJo Romero earned the win in relief for the Cardinals, improving to 2-3 on the season, pitching one inning and giving up one hit with one unearned run, striking out one.  Estévez blew his third save, falling to 2-1, recording just one out, giving up two hits and two runs, just one earned, and walking one. 

At the plate, Nootbaar (2-5, 1 R), Contreras (2-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB), and Herrera (2-3, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 BB) led the way for St. Louis.  For the Royals, Pasquantino was 4-for-5 with two RBIs, while India (2-4, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 1 R) and Perez (2-5, 1 R) also helped in the loss. 

Kansas City and St. Louis wrap up their series in game two of the doubleheader this evening.  Cole Ragans (2-3, 4.53 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals, it’ll be Ragans’ first start since May 16, when he allowed four runs to these Cardinals in five innings at Kauffman Stadium.  For the Cardinals, Matthew Liberatore (3-4, 3.08 ERA) will start.

First pitch is at 6:45pm.  Pregame coverage will begin at 6 for the Royals on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and at 6:35 for the Cardinals on KY 102 (102.5 FM).

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.