Everything Oli Marmol said about St. Louis Cardinals controversial bullpen decisions

ST. LOUIS — In an epic ninth-inning collapse, the St. Louis Cardinals let Friday’s Wild Card matchup at Busch Stadium slip through their fingers.

The Philadelphia Phillies scored six runs in the ninth inning, the most the team has scored in a single postseason inning since 1969, to stun the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-3, and take a 1-0 edge in the best-of-three Wild Card round. Game 2 is set for Saturday night in St. Louis with first pitch slated for 8:37 p.m. (Eastern).

After St. Louis pitching cruised through eight innings, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who recorded the final two outs of the eighth inning, began to develop numbness in the middle finger on his pitching hand in the ninth. That is where the St. Louis implosion began.

Injury, tough decisions part of St. Louis Cardinals ninth-inning collapse

After striking out Rhys Hopkins to open the ninth, Helsley surrendered a single and two walks to load the bases. By hitting Alec Bohm, the 28-year-old right-hander allowed the Phillies their first run of the day as they sliced the deficit to 2-1.

“Once we went out there, he said he started to lose a little feel for his pitches,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “He felt good when he came off the first time, went back out. Had no issues early on, but then he said he started to lose feel.”

Helsley had recently had issues with the finger, but had assured Marmol and St. Louis coaches that all was well when Friday’s action began.

“You check every box. We’ve been honest with each other all year. If you say you’re good to go, you’re good to go,” Marmol said.

“He’s been super reliable all year. Obviously we’re aware of the issue with the finger. It wasn’t an issue early on. Didn’t show any signs of it. Once you go back-to-back walks, you’re thinking this is the last hitter and hit by pitch definitely ends it.”

With Helsley coming out of the game and the Cardinals clinging to a one-run lead, Marmol had the choice of inserting rookie Andre Pallante or veteran Jack Flaherty into the game. Marmol chose Pallante, and the decision proved to be a costly one.

Pallante, who had a 65 percent ground ball rate coming into the game, got the ground ball he wanted off the bat of Philadelphia’s Jean Segura, but the grounder escaped the defense employed by St. Louis to try to get a double play, sending the tying and go-ahead run home.

“Segura is a high-ground ball, 60 percent ground ball guy against righties all year. Pallante is a high-high ground ball guy. That match up has about 70 percent. You got one out. The situation is basically you want to end the game there with a ground ball double play,” Marmol explained. “If there’s two outs, then go to Jack and go for the punch out. So you’re just playing the outs and probability there.”

Pallante struggled but got through the final two outs as Philadelphia sent 10 men to the field in the final frame. Marmol said that was a key to set up the St. Louis bullpen for the rest of the series, especially with Helsley’s availability a big question mark.

“I think we’ll be fine. These guys all year have done a nice job of whether we win a big game or lose a big game,” Marmol said. “The next day is a new day. This will be no different. We know what’s at stake. We either win or go home. We’ll embrace that.”