Community Corner
Mikolas Hurt In Return, Molina Homers, Cards Top Cubs 2-1
Mikolas, a 32-year-old right-hander who won 18 games in 2018, was activated Saturday for his first major league start since 2019.
May 23, 2021
Four pitchers combined for five innings of scoreless, two-hit relief after Miles Mikolas appeared to get injured in his delayed season debut, and Yadier Molina hit a tiebreaking home run that lifted the St. Louis Cardinals over the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Saturday night. Molina broke a 1-1 tie when led off the seventh inning with his seventh home run this season, connecting on a slider with an 0-2 count from Adbert Alzolay (2-4). Mikolas, a 32-year-old right-hander who won 18 games in 2018, was activated Saturday for his first major league start since the 2019 NL Championship Series. He missed last season after flexor tendon surgery, then hurt his pitching shoulder in his first bullpen session of 2021. He allowed three hits in four innings, struck out three and walked one, falling behind in the first after he bounced a breaking ball off Joc Pederson's back foot with his second pitch. Willson Contreras hit a one-out single and Javier Javier Báez a two-out RBI single. Mikolas was warming up to start the fifth, pitching to backup catcher Andrew Knizner while Molina was putting on his catcher's gear after making the last out of the fourth, when the ptitcher grabbed his right elbow then looked toward the Cardinals dugout. An athletic trainer, pitching coach Mike Maddux and then manager Mike Shildt came out. Mikolas. who had thrown 59 pitches. left with what the team called right forearm tightness. Daniel Ponce deLeon retired five batters around a walk, Genesis Cabrera (1-1) struck out three of his four batters, Giovanny Gallegos gave up a one-out single and a walk in the eighth and Alex Reyes finished a five-hitter to remain perfect in 14 save chances, one behind the major league-leading total of San Diego’s Mark Melancon.
