The St. Louis Cardinals played the Miami Marlins to a 2-2 draw at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Sunday in spring training action. Pedro Pagés led the offensive effort with a 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI day, but neither club could land the decisive blow. On the mound, Andre Pallante turned in a solid outing, working 4.0 innings of 1-run ball with three strikeouts. The Cardinals finished with 5 hits on the day while holding the Marlins to 3. The draw is part of the exhibition experience, and the coaching staff will evaluate the individual performances as they continue assembling the Opening Day roster.
Key Performers
Pedro Pagés was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI. His extra-base hit was a key moment in the game. The Cardinals will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Anyelo Encarnación chipped in, going 1-for-1, Yohel Pozo added to the attack, going 1-for-3, and Tai Peete provided support, going 1-for-2 with a double. The Cardinals showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Griffin Conine led the Marlins offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI day. Graham Pauley also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a triple. The Marlins offense proved to be too much for the Cardinals pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Andre Pallante got the start, turning in a quality outing, working 4.0 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 64 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.0 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out five. The Cardinals continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
How It Happened
The Cardinals struck first, tallying a run in the first inning. Marlins answered with a run in the third. The Cardinals responded with a run in the seventh. Marlins countered with a run in the seventh. The Cardinals out-hit Marlins 5-3 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 5,923 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals will move on from the draw as spring training continues. Exhibition games can end in ties under spring training rules, and the coaching staff will focus on the individual performances rather than the outcome as they finalize their roster ahead of Opening Day. Every at-bat and every inning on the mound is valuable preparation for the regular season ahead.
