'That's the recipe': Strikes, key hits seal win

Starting in Spring Training and continuing into this anemic stretch of June, the Cardinals have kept themselves open to creativity, from openers to "piggybackers" to anything that can turn the tide. So far, tactics implemented have been incremental, more behind-the-scenes preparation to right gaudy walk numbers and short starts.

So call the first more visceral implementation of some creativity a strike-throwing success.

Buoyed by a six-run seventh inning, kick-started by Wade LeBlanc’s first go-around slotted into the rotation and continued by some firsts from the bullpen, St. Louis etched its way to a sorely needed 7-1 win on Monday to start a series against the D-backs.

St. Louis threw 116 of its 175 pitches on the night -- from seven different pitchers -- for strikes, a 66.3 percent clip that’s just a shade behind their team season high of 70.4 percent. LeBlanc led the no-nonsense barrage by tossing 47 of his 71 pitches across 4 1/3 innings for strikes, inducing 15 balls in play along the way (including one fair ball accidentally fielded by an on-field usher).

“I think when you're a guy with stuff like I have, it's imperative to force the hitters to swing, get aggressive, get in swing mode, and then you can start to work off the plate,” said LeBlanc, who topped out at 90.2 mph on Monday.

It was a trend that continued into the Cardinals’ bullpen, with individuals being utilized in uncertain and unusual roles: John Gant entering the game from the bullpen for the first time this season; Giovanny Gallegos coming in earlier than normal and with runners on base; and 27-year-old Brandon Waddell making his first career appearance as both a Cardinal and at Busch Stadium.

In his first at-bat, Gallegos threw nine pitches to pinch-hitter David Peralta before registering a ball.

“That's the recipe,” said Cardinals manager Mike Shildt. “ … Be aggressive, trust your stuff, throw strikes [and] with the defense, see what happens. That’s the genesis of having LeBlanc in the rotation, a little bit of a necessity. But to his credit, he pitched well.”

But it wasn’t until the late throes of the evening that the new-look rotation paid off. The Cardinals, held to just four hits through the first six innings, finally broke through against the D-backs’ bullpen in the seventh with six base knocks and as many runs scored, capped by Paul DeJong’s second home run in three games.

It was St. Louis' first inning scoring at least four runs since June 9, when they put up four against Cleveland in the first frame.

The Cards' offensive outburst came a frame after Arizona manager Torey Lovullo let reliever Alex Young bat with the bases loaded and two outs. When that happens, there’s not much creativity needed; just strike-throwing.

So Génesis Cabrera threw three of them in order, struck out Young and emerged unscathed from the threat -- the last Arizona would mount on the night.

It was a step forward for St. Louis, a club that has found itself playing from behind in both the health department and the box score through most of June. Reticent to make any splashy moves until their outlook becomes clearer and the market normalizes, the Cardinals remain committed to getting creative with their current crop of arms.

“Clearly, the current model of what we're currently doing is not working,” president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said Monday afternoon. “... We have to figure out ways where we feel like we are in games, giving ourselves a chance to win and really just changing our current trajectory of what we look like.”

LeBlanc was one such step, providing the club a better recipe to follow -- one followed by those who followed him out of the bullpen on Monday: Throw strikes, let the numerous Gold Glovers behind you make plays and give the club a chance to win like it did in the seventh inning.

“I am who I am because of the catcher I have and the defense that I have,” LeBlanc said. “If I don't have those two things, then it can be a really long night for me.”