Sonny Gray made a memorable debut for the St. Louis Cardinals, pitching five solid innings and helping his team secure a 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium.
In his first outing for St. Louis, Gray (1-0) showcased his experience and skill, allowing just five hits while striking out five batters without issuing a single walk. The seasoned 34-year-old right-hander threw an impressive 43 of his 64 pitches for strikes, demonstrating his command on the mound.
Gray's performance was particularly noteworthy considering his recent return from an injury that sidelined him at the beginning of the season, having hurt his right hamstring during a spring training game against Washington on March 4.
Following Gray's departure, the Cardinals' bullpen, featuring Matthew Liberatore, Andrew Kittredge, and former Phillie JoJo Romero, held strong for three more innings before Ryan Helsley sealed the victory with his fourth save in five opportunities this season.
On the opposing side, Zack Wheeler (0-2) put up a respectable effort, allowing three runs and six hits over seven innings. Despite striking out five batters and issuing only one walk, Wheeler couldn't stifle St. Louis' offense entirely.
Nolan Gorman's third homer of the season in the fourth inning put the Cardinals on the scoreboard, and they added two more runs in the fifth thanks to a sacrifice fly by rookie Victor Scott II and an RBI groundout by Donovan, driving in Masyn Winn.
Philadelphia made a late push in the seventh inning, loading the bases against Kittredge and Romero, but the Cardinals' relievers held firm, striking out Whit Merrifield and Kyle Schwarber to escape the threat unscathed.
Scary Moment
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was forced to leave the game due to a neck contusion after being struck by a wild pitch from Wheeler in the seventh inning. Wheeler, in the midst of pitching to Brendan Donovan, delivered an 0-1 curveball that unexpectedly bounced, hitting Realmuto on the right side of his neck just above the collarbone and dislodging his mask in the process.
Realmuto was able to walk off the field on his own and concussion tests were negative. He'll be reevaluated on Wednesday.
Up Next
The Phillies turn to righty Aaron Nola (1-1, 5.40 ERA) while the Cardinals counter with veteran right-hander Lance Lynn (0-0, 4.15 ERA) on Wednesday.
