A series that started with a bang -- 11 of them -- and continued with different-natured fireworks came to a sputtering finish on Sunday, when the Cardinals suffered a 12-1 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park to drop their first series of the season in unceremonious fashion.

An Opening Day victory showed much promise for the offense, but the concerns that may have been glossed over were re-exposed by the next two defeats. All told, Cardinals pitching allowed 27 runs over 25 innings in Cincinnati, receiving bursts of offense but not nearly enough to salvage the series on Easter Sunday.

Carlos Martínez looked like he was bound to buck that trend with three perfect innings, but a leak in the fourth was bludgeoned open in the fifth. It was kick-started by a pair of extra-base hits from Nick Castellanos, including a three-run shot in the fifth, which continued a torrid start to the year for St. Louis’ newest villain. A promising outset quickly became a 12-run drubbing.

“I looked up in the fourth like, ‘We might throw a no-hitter today,’” said manager Mike Shildt.

A pitching staff sans long-reliever Jake Woodford and flamethrower Jordan Hicks on Sunday didn’t recover from there, as Ryan Helsley continued an inauspicious start to the year with a pair of walks and four runs on his ledger before a disastrous sixth frame concluded. Three runs came off a homer conceded by Tyler Webb, who was called upon for his third consecutive game to open the season.

Martínez’s uneven day
Martínez ended his spring with nine dynamite frames, striking out seven and tossing three hitless innings in his final tune-up. It was a springboard the Cardinals hoped could bolster the rotation in the early goings, especially with two-fifths of the rotation ailing and another two-fifths struggling in their first turns. It was a springboard that appeared to be promising at Sunday’s get-go.

Then, Martínez hung a slider to the white-hot Castellanos in the fourth, which resulted in a triple. Joey Votto singled him home one batter later. In the fifth inning, after St. Louis had tied the game in the top of the frame, Castellanos put the Reds ahead for good with a three-run bomb.

“We like what [Martínez] can do against him if he executes,” Shildt said. “ … He earned the opportunity to make pitches to allow himself to get himself out. [Castellanos] put a swing on it, and the guy on deck is a pretty good hitter, too. That’s the decision we made, it didn't pay off and I'll take responsibility.”

Otherwise, the Cardinals came away from Sunday reminded of the potential for high peaks from Martínez as a starter.

“When I face [Castellanos] again, I got to have new goals and a new mentality,” Martínez said.

Bullpen woes?
Of any component of the 2021 Cardinals, the bullpen was seen to be the most fail-safe, with four closing candidates and the hardest final roster decisions coming in the relief department.

Samples are small, but five hits in 1 1/3 frames allowed by Helsley and eight free passes from the bullpen add up to a less than ideal start. Unaided by the lack of deep outings from starters -- Martínez is the only one to complete five innings thus far -- the bullpen has been called upon early and often.

“Guys are giving their best effort, but the fact of the matter is, [the bullpen has] been a big part of our pitching, I mentioned it for years,” Shildt said. “We control counts and we eliminate free bases, we're very, very, very tough to compete against. It makes it a challenge to always constantly have to cover something that you give away.”

Shildt said prior to the loss that adding a 14th pitcher to the roster in place of a position player is a real possibility for when off-days become more scarce, which could relieve some pressure from arms up and down the bullpen.

Edman flashes the glove
Not all was bleak to close out the series in Cincinnati. The Cardinals got their first few looks at Tommy Edman breaking in a starting second baseman’s glove, and results were nothing short of excellent.

Edman made an exceptional diving play in the fifth inning Sunday, using all of his 5-foot-10 frame to rob Tyler Naquin of a hit and potentially save a run in what was an otherwise subpar day for the Cardinals defense.

There were questions about how Edman could fill in for two-time reigning Gold Glover Kolten Wong in his first trials as the starting second baseman.

Those questions have quickly turned into re-ignited Gold Glove hopes.

“Nothing surprising,” Shildt said pregame Sunday, “but can't take it for granted.”