As much emphasis as the Cardinals continue to place on how their lineup starts games, starts innings, and sustains that pressure — coaches call it a “relentless” pursuit and do so relentlessly — there’s something to be said about how they’ve revived innings before they go kaput.
A bases-loaded, no-out opportunity in a taut game nearly blew away on the gust of back-to-back strikeouts Saturday before what they lacked last season struck again this weekend.
One of the worst teams last year when it came to delivering two-out RBIs has built two wins already this year out of that ability. Lars Nootbaar salvaged the base-loaded moment in the sixth inning with a two-out, two-run single that sent the Cardinals hurtling to a 5-1 victory Saturday against Minnesota in front of a scattered crowd of 30,712 at Busch Stadium.
Three of the Cardinals’ first four runs Saturday came with two outs, and six of their first nine runs scored this season came with two outs. A year after they had the second-worst slugging percentage with runners in scoring position and two outs (.319) and one of the lowest batting averages (.220), the Cardinals are off to a 2-0 start because of a two-out knack.
Nootbaar has four two-out RBIs with runners in scoring position in two games.
He had 13 all of last season.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar robs Minnesota Twins’ Jose Miranda as he flies out with one man on base in the second inning at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Tasked with igniting the Cardinals’ lineup from the leadoff spot, Nootbaar has also shown he can drive it, too. For the second consecutive game, Nootbaar opened the first inning with a single and then came around to score, doing so Saturday on a two-out single by Nolan Arenado. For the second consecutive game, Nootbaar had a two-run base hit later in the game to widen a lead. An exchange of runs early in the afternoon took a 1-1 tie into the bullpens, and the Cardinals broke it in the sixth and then Nootbaar’s two-run single off Twins reliever Louis Varland capped the three-run, decisive inning.
That came in time to make a winner of right-hander Erick Fedde (1-0), who held the Twins to one run on two hits through six superb innings.
Hit streak sparks decisive rally
With strikeouts to leadoff innings in his first two at-bats — both against Twins starter Joe Ryan — catcher Ivan Herrera got a different look in the sixth inning. Arenado had already tattooed a line drive off the pitcher that eventually put him at second with a double.
Alec Burleson worked a walk from Jorge Alcala to get the inning to Herrera.
The Cardinals’ young catcher laced a single up the middle to extend his hitting streak to 10 games dating back to the end of last season. Arenado scored to break the 1-1 tie.
A studious walk by Jordan Walker, who reached base three times, loaded the bases. That’s where the inning nearly came unraveled on the Cardinals until Nootbaar’s single.
Full-strength Fedde
During one of his first meetings with the Cardinals after the July trade that brought him to St. Louis, Fedde confessed that the innings were starting to catch up to him, the fatigue of a long season and his first season back from Korea starting to settle in.
He went 2-5 for the Cardinals in 10 starts with a 3.72 ERA, up from the 3.11 he had with the White Sox in his first 21 starts and 121 innings of the season. Fedde’s finest start for the Cardinals came in his final start as he tamed Coors Field with 10 strikeouts.
What did carry over was success against the Twins.
In two starts against the Twins with the Sox and another with the Cardinals, Fedde had a 1.06 ERA in 17 innings. He continued maneuvering through Minnesota on Saturday — but did so as the manager expected: looking fresh.
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Erick Fedde rests in the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
“He’s physically in a better spot,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “He was worn down when we got him. The guy, first meeting, was like, ‘I’m tired.’ He’s in a better spot physically, and I think mentally not having to prove. When you get traded you want to prove, ‘Hey, I’m worth it.’ We’ve communicated with him — enough. We know who you are. Those two things help him just go be himself.”
Fedde found his footing after allowing the run in the second inning.
The right-hander needed seven pitches to retire the side in the third inning, and he got 11 outs from the final 10 batters he faced. Fedde only struck out two, but that’s also because he got outs swifter than three pitches, needing only 73 to get through 18 outs and author the Cardinals’ first quality start of the season.
All they need is glove
In his office several hours before first pitch, Marmol fielded a question from the Post-Dispatch about whether Fedde could be more aggressive with pitches in the zone because of the defense behind him and the size of the ballpark around him. Both were significantly different than what Fedde had with the Sox on the Southside of Chicago — better for one, bigger for the other.
“I like our defense right now,” Marmol said.
Opening day’s win shifted around a diving stop by Brendan Donovan at second base and a leaping catch by Victor Scott II in center. On Saturday, the defense snared a series of outs for Fedde that earn stars in most scorebooks. Masyn Winn caught a popup with his back to home plate, and in the third he dove to his left to glove a grounder and start a double play. Nootbaar lunged forward to pluck a liner just before it skimmed grass for a base hit. In the fifth inning, new first baseman Willson Contreras dove to his left to snag a grounder and then get the final out of the inning on his own.
The Cardinals believed they even had a caught stealing in the mix there, too. In the second inning, Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach slid in ahead of the throw but went for second base with his hand not his feet. Donovan appeared to land a tag in that brief moment when Larnach’s feet were past the bag but his hand not yet holding the corner. The Cardinals challenged a safe call on the field, but officials in New York could not find an angle to overturn the call and let it stand, but did not confirm it.
The Cardinals’ Lars Nootbaar celebrates with first base coach Stubby Clapp after his line-drive single scored Alec Burleson and Ivan Herrera in the sixth inning against the Twins on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Michael Siani goes to the wall to catch a deep fly ball hit by Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar robs Minnesota Twins’ Jose Miranda as he flies out with one man on base in the second inning at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Willson Contreras grounds out with a broken bat in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
Empty seats are seen behind St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado as he heads from the field in the fourth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Erick Fedde works the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals baserunner Jordan Walker is out stealing second base, picked off by Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals baserunner Jordan Walker is out stealing second base, picked off by Carlos Correa of the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Erick Fedde rests in the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Masyn Winn strikes out swinging to end the second inning, leaving one baserunner against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Victor Scott II steals second base in the eighth inning under the attempted tag from Minnesota Twins Willi Castro at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher JoJo Romero works the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Phil Maton claps for the final out of a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol removes pitcher Erick Fedde from the game after he worked six innings against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
The outfield gear of St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar sits on the bench as the Redbirds hit against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Lars Nootbaar celebrates a line drive single with first base coach Stubby Clapp to score Alec Burleson and Ivan Herrera in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals Willson Contreras strikes out to end the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Phil Maton and catcher Padro Pages celebrate a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Cardinals outfielders Lars Nootbaar and Michael Siani celebrate after a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Robert Cohen, Post-Dispatch
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