Cubs manager Rick Renteria was really hoping to avoid using Hector Rondon on Sunday night.
Rondon had pitched in two consecutive games already but had only used seven pitches to close out the victory against the Cardinals on Saturday. He has unofficially been the closer for Chicago since Jose Veras ended up on the disabled list, but he suffered his first loss against St. Louis on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball telecast. With the game tied at three, two outs and the bases loaded, courtesy of a walk, a single, and a walk, Yadier Molina stepped up to bat.
The Cardinals’ franchise player showed why he was money again. He laced a single up the middle to score two, making the score 5-3. Trevor Rosenthal was able to finish the job and helped St. Louis avoid the sweep by Chicago with his 8th save.
It was with a touch of irony, or perhaps some good old baseball karma, that Molina was the reason the game was tied in the first place. With Luis Valbuena on third in the seventh after a two-out triple, a Carlos Martinez pitch got away from Molina, and Valbuena scored on what was ruled a wild pitch. The best catcher in the game today, however, thinks it should have been a passed ball. He spoke to the media and MLB.com about the play he’s made several times before.
"I mean, I was there. I was. I don’t know. It’s one of those things. I mean, I can’t explain it. I was ready for it, the ball still goes through my legs. …I block that ball 99 out of 100 times, but tonight, I wasn’t able to block it."
His game winning single in the ninth more than atoned for the miscue and spoiled a comeback for the Cubs and some generally good pitching from Chicago. Starter Jason Hammel struggled with command in the second and third inning, but fought through six innings, giving up seven hits and two walks, both of which scored. Carlos Villanueva and Justin Grimm pitched scoreless ball in the seventh and eighth to keep the Cubs in the game before Rondon’s 28 pitch, 2/3 inning performance in the ninth.
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