Sports – Page 15 – St. Joseph Post Archive

AP Sources: Chiefs trade sixth rounder to Jets for LB Darron Lee

Posted on May 15, 2019May 15, 2019

NEW YORK (AP) — Adam Gase needed just a few hours as the Jets’ acting general manager to pull off a big deal.

Two people with direct knowledge of the trade told The Associated Press that New York agreed Wednesday night to send linebacker Darron Lee to the Kansas City Chiefs for a sixth-round draft pick.

The deal is pending a physical, according to the people who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither team had announced the move.

It came just hours after the Jets fired general manager Mike Maccagnan and installed Gase as the acting GM while the team begins a search for a replacement.

Lee was New York’s first-round pick in 2016, but was mostly disappointing in his three seasons with the Jets. He was suspended by the NFL for the final four games of last season after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Lee’s spot on the Jets’ roster was uncertain after New York signed C.J. Mosley to anchor the inside linebacker position with Avery Williamson.

Lee had been the subject of trade rumors all offseason, especially after the Jets recently declined his fifth-year contract option for 2020. Many believed he would be dealt during the NFL draft. Less than three weeks later, Gase made it happen.

In three seasons, Lee had 241 tackles, four sacks, 11 passes defensed and three interceptions — all last season — including one returned for a touchdown. He was the 20th overall pick out of Ohio State in 2016.

Lee now goes to the Chiefs, who are switching from a 3-4 base defense under former defensive coordinator Bob Sutton to a 4-3 under new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Gone are veterans such as Justin Houston and Eric Berry, and second-year general manager Brett Veach has brought in Tyrann Mathieu, Frank Clark, Emmanuel Ogbah and Alex Okafor. But the Chiefs were still looking for help at linebacker.

— Associated Press —

Royals get beat by Rangers 6-1

Posted on May 15, 2019May 15, 2019

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ronald Guzman and Willie Calhoun each hit a two-run homer, and the Texas Rangers cruised to a 6-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Shin-Soo Choo added a solo shot in the ninth inning and Nomar Mazara matched a career high with four hits as the Rangers snapped a five-game skid. They have won six of their last eight against Kansas City, including an 11-5 loss in the series opener Tuesday.

Mike Minor (4-3) got through five rocky innings, allowing one run on eight hits and two walks.

Guzman drove in a run in the fourth before sending a hanging pitch from Jorge Lopez (0-5) booming into the center field seats in the sixth. The two-out shot broke open a 3-1 game and sent Lopez, who had plunked two batters and struggled with command all night, trudging toward the showers.

Lopez allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out seven.

Calhoun, called up from Triple-A Nashville before the game, got the Rangers off to a good start. The erstwhile elite prospect sent a first-inning pitch from Lopez soaring into the seats over the right-field bullpen, the no-doubt shot staking Texas to a 2-0 lead.

Kansas City answered by manufacturing a run in the bottom half against Minor, whose last appearance at Kauffman Stadium came as the Royals’ closer in the final game of the 2017 season. But after Adalberto Mondesi’s RBI single, the veteran left-hander escaped the rest of the inning unscathed.

It wasn’t the last time he negotiated trouble.

Minor also stranded runners on second and third in the second and fourth, and he pinned another runner 90 feet from home in the fifth. By the time that inning ending, Minor had survived a shaky night and has still allowed just 11 earned runs over his last 55 innings.

The Rangers’ bullpen allowed only one hit over the final four innings.

INJURED ELVIS

Texas put shortstop Elvis Andrus on the injured list with a strained right hamstring after he left Tuesday night’s game in the seventh inning. Rangers manager Chris Woodward is hopeful Andrus will be ready to return in 10 days. “You don’t want this to linger with him,” Woodward said.

ROSTER MOVES

Calhoun was joined from Nashville by left-hander Jeffrey Springs to provide a fresh arm in the Texas bullpen. Right-hander Wei-Chieh Huang was optioned to the same club.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers right-hander Shawn Kelley could be activated in the next couple of days, Woodward said. Kelley has been dealing with a bacterial infection. … Woodward said right-hander Ariel Jurado will likely start Saturday against St. Louis. Woodward plans to get “creative” with the starter Sunday because left-hander Drew Smyly has a slight ankle sprain and his next turn could get pushed back a couple of days.

UP NEXT

The Royals wrap up their homestand Thursday by sending Homer Bailey (4-3, 4.83 ERA) to the mound against Texas. The Rangers counter with fellow right-hander Lance Lynn (4-3, 5.48).

— Associated Press —

MWSU’s Castaneda earns second team All-Region honors

Posted on May 15, 2019

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Missouri Western baseball pitcher Anthony Castaneda was named second team All-Central Region by the Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association.

Castaneda was named first team All-MIAA after going 6-3 with one save and a 2.34 ERA this season. The senior finished third in the MIAA in ERA and second in strikeouts. His 111 strikeouts this season ranked as the second most ever by a Griffon pitcher and were compared to just 18 walks over 88 1/3 innings.

Castaneda allowed just 23 earned runs all season and didn’t allow an earned run to score over his final five appearances, a string of 14 2/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. He posted a 0.99 WHIP and struck out 11.3 per nine innings. He twice tied the Missouri Western single game record with 14 strikeouts and posted back-to-back 12-strikeout games on Feb. 24 and Mar. 1. He also struck out 11 on Apr. 14 against Northwest Missouri.

Castaneda was one of three MIAA starting pitchers named to the D2CCA All-Central Region team. Missouri Southern’s Zach Parrish was a first team selection and Central Oklahoma’s Dylan Hall was named second team.

— MWSU Athletics —

Missouri signs four-star basketball recruit Kobe Brown

Posted on May 15, 2019May 15, 2019

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Men’s Basketball signed Huntsville, Alabama, native Kobe Brown to its 2019 recruiting class, head coach Cuonzo Martin announced Wednesday. The 6-foot-7 forward from Lee High School is rated a four-star recruit by ESPN.com. Brown signed his financial aid agreement and officially joins the Tigers’ talented crop of new comers alongside fellow four-stars Tray Jackson and Mario McKinney, Jr.

A versatile scorer, Brown poured in 24.1 points per game as a senior in 2018-19, adding 12.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game. He was a 2019 Alabama Sportswriters Association First-Team All-State honoree and earned USA Today All-USA Alabama First-Team recognition. Additionally, Brown was tabbed the AL.com Huntsville Region Player of the Year.

“Kobe is a do-it-all guy who can stretch the floor as a forward with his shooting ability,” Martin said. “He’s an excellent passer and has a great feel for the game on both ends. He’s won at a high level and, most importantly, he has the work ethic and drive to succeed that fits our program. We’re very excited to get him here in a few weeks and go to work this summer.”

After racking up Alabama Class 5A Player of the Year honors as a junior, he was a Class 6A Player of the Year finalist this past season. Brown led Lee to more than 20 wins in 2018-19, including an area championship.

Despite battling flu-like symptoms for weeks down the stretch of his senior campaign, Brown helped Lee rip off three postseason wins, highlighted by a 30-point outburst in the area title game. In his final high school game, he put together a 28-point, 13-rebound outing in a four-point loss to the eventual state champion.

Brown averaged 20.9 points, 7.9 and 6.8 assists as a junior, steering Lee to a Northwest Regional championship game appearance. He earned 2018 ASWA Super First-Team All-State recognition.

Brown chose Mizzou over Minnesota, Penn State and Vanderbilt, among others. He and fellow signees Jackson and McKinney will join the Tigers in Columbia for the summer semester in June.

— Mizzou Athletics —

St. Louis gets blanked by Atlanta Wednesday 4-0

Posted on May 15, 2019May 15, 2019

ATLANTA — Austin Riley made quite a splash in his big league debut Wednesday night, homering off Michael Wacha to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 4-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Mike Soroka turned in another strong start with three-hit ball over seven scoreless innings, but this night belonged to the 22-year-old Riley.

Another top prospect for the Baby Braves, he was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett before the game after Ender Inciarte went on the 10-day injured list with a sore back.

Riley, who started in left field and batted sixth, struck out swinging in the first at-bat of what the Braves hope will be a long major league career.

Then, leading off the fourth, he flashed the form that helped him lead the International League with 15 homers and 39 RBI.

Riley launched a high fastball deep into the left-field seats, a 438-foot drive that gave the Braves a 2-0 lead and sent his parents and a group of about 40 family and friends — many of whom hastily made the drive from his native Mississippi — into a delirious celebration at SunTrust Park.

Riley hit another drive to the edge of the warning track his next time up, and handled a couple of chances without any problem in left. Normally a third baseman, he figures to mostly play left field at least during his initial stint in the big leagues. Josh Donaldson is locked in at third base for 2019 with a one-year, $23 million deal.

After taking over as a defensive replacement for Riley, Charlie Culberson sealed the victory with a two-run homer in the eighth.

It was quite a showing for Atlanta’s kids.

Even younger than Riley, the 21-year-old Soroka (4-1) lowered his ERA to 0.98 in six starts. The right-hander has yet to allow more than one earned run in any of his appearances, and this was his best one yet.

Soroka escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third, getting Paul Goldschmidt to ground into an inning-ending double play. He stared down another trouble spot in the sixth when the Cardinals put runners at second and third, fanning Jose Martinez to snuff out the threat.

Dan Winkler walked the first two St. Louis hitters in the eighth on eight straight balls, but Luke Jackson worked out of the jam — this time, it was Paul DeJong hitting into a double play — and finished up for his fifth save in six chances.

Wacha (3-1) surrendered only four hits and one earned run over five innings. Atlanta also scored when the Cardinals pitcher threw one away at third base after appearing to pick off Ronald Acuna Jr., who was able to trot home when the ball skidded under the glove of Matt Carpenter.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (shoulder) threw two innings for Double-A Springfield in an 8-2 loss to Arkansas on Wednesday. He allowed one run on four hits, with no walks or strikeouts. St. Louis is hoping Martinez can rejoin the team for a weekend series in Texas.

Braves: Inciarte went on the 10-day injured list with a lumbar strain. He left Tuesday night’s game after experiencing tightness in his lower back and could be out even longer than his required stint on the IL, according to manager Brian Snitker.

UP NEXT

In the rubber game of the series, RHP Adam Wainwright (3-3, 4.15) goes for the Cardinals against Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran (2-4, 4.26). Wainwright, a Georgia native who began his career in the Braves’ organization, will be going for his first win in Atlanta since May 7, 2014, at Turner Field. Teheran, whose last win came on April 14, will be looking for a little run support after failing to get a decision in his last two starts, despite allowing just one run over a total of 12 innings.

— Associated Press —

Nebraska’s Hoiberg signs three more to first recruiting class

Posted on May 15, 2019

Lincoln – Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg announced Wednesday that Kevin Cross (Little Rock, Ark.) has signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play basketball for the Husker program next season.

Cross, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound forward, played for Coach Raymond Cooper at Mills University Studies High School, earning all-state honors in Arkansas for the past two years. Cross selected Nebraska over Oklahoma State and TCU.

“We are excited to have Kevin join our program.” Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He is a skilled big who brings versatility to our frontcourt with his ability to score both inside and out. We think he is a player who will develop in our up-tempo system.”

Last year, he helped Mills to a 28-5 record and runner-up honors in Class 4A, averaging 18 points, 10 rebounds and two assists per game. For his efforts, he was named first-team all-state in Class 4A by the Arkansas Basketball Coaches Association and garnered second-team all-state (all classes) by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Cross had 24 point and nine rebounds in the state title game loss to Magnolia, and also put together a 29-point, 21-rebound effort during his senior campaign. Following the season, he earned MVP honors at the All-Metro Classic with a 32-point effort, which included six 3-pointers.

Cross was also a first-team all-state Class 5A selection by the coaches association and a second-team all-state honoree by the Democrat Gazette as a junior when he averaged 14.9 points and 6.8 caroms per contest as the team went 29-3 en route to a runner-up finish at the state tournament.

Also Wednesday, Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg continued to bolster the Huskers’ interior presence with Wednesday’s announcement that Derrick Walker (Kansas City, Mo.) will join the program for the upcoming season.

Walker, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward, spent the last two seasons at the University of Tennessee, appearing in 64 contests, as the Volunteers won 56 games and made a pair of NCAA appearances during his tenure at the school. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2019-20 season.

“Derrick is a physical player who gives us skill and versatility in the post,” Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He has played in big games over the last two years, and his experience will be an asset for us with so many newcomers on the roster.”

Walker played in 30 games as a sophomore, as Tennessee reached the NCAA Sweet 16 and finished with a 31-6 record in 2018-19. He came off the bench and averaged 0.8 points and 1.1 rebounds per game in just over five minutes per contest. He shot 53 percent from the floor, including 6-of-7 from the field in SEC play. He had five points, two boards and a pair of assists in a win over Georgia.

As a freshman, he was an integral member of the Volunteers’ 2017-18 SEC title team, appearing in 34 of the Vols’ 35 contests and averaging 1.9 points and 2.2 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game. He was efficient on the offensive end, shooting nearly 60 percent from the floor, including 68 percent (19-of-28) in SEC section. He totaled five or more points six times, including career bests in points (10), field goals (five) and minutes (25) at South Carolina when he hit all five field goal attempts. He set personal bests in both rebounds (seven) and blocks (two) at Alabama and also grabbed seven board against Ole Miss. In all, he reached double-figures in minutes 11 times, including seven games against SEC competition.

He spent his senior and postgrad years at Sunrise (Kan.) Christian Academy, where he averaged 14 points and seven rebounds per game in 2016-17. He was a four-star prospect by ESPN.com and three-star choice by Rivals and 247Sports, which rated him as the No. 2 prospect in Missouri in 2017. Walker played for the MoKan Elite in the summer of 2016, helping the team win the Nike Peach Jam championship. On that team, he played with 2018 first-round NBA picks Trae Young and Michael Porter Jr. He spent three seasons at Raytown High School, helping the school to a conference title and earning second-team all-conference honors. Walker, who attended the same high school as former Husker legend Tyronn Lue, also played three years of football at the school.

And Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg added his third recruit of the day on Wednesday evening when Samari Curtis (Xenia, Ohio) signed to play basketball for the Huskers beginning this fall.

Curtis, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard, was Ohio Mr. Basketball in 2019, averaging 33.8 points and 5.2 assists per game for Coach Kent Anderson at Xenia High School. He shot 51 percent from the field as a senior, including 34 percent from 3-point range. His senior year was highlighted by a 52-point performance, his second career 50-point game. Curtis also finished eighth in state history with 224 free throws, as Xenia went 13-11 despite replacing four starters from the previous season.

He finished his career with a school-record 2,109 points, breaking the previous mark by nearly 500 points. He led the Greater Western Ohio Conference (GWOC) in scoring each of the past three seasons, averaging more than 30 points per game in each of his final two seasons at the school.

“Samari is an elite guard,” Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg said. “He gives us size and length at the guard position and his skillset blends well with the other guards currently on our roster.”

Curtis, who originally signed with Cincinnati last fall, is a four-star selection by ESPN.com, while he also ranks among the top-200 recruits nationally by 247Sports.

As a junior, he averaged 30.4 points, 5.2 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field en route to third-team All-Ohio accolades by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association. A three-time All-GWOC selection and District 9 honoree, Curtis also garnered honorable-mention honors as a sophomore when he averaged 24.1 points per game.

Curtis becomes the 11th scholarship player to sign or re-affirm his commitment since Hoiberg took over the Husker basketball program on March 30. The Huskers lose four starters from a year ago while junior forward Isaiah Roby is testing the waters of the NBA process. Curtis joins fellow freshmen Yvan Ouedraogo, Akol Arop and Kevin Cross while the rest of the class includes graduate transfers Matej Kavas and Haanif Cheatham, junior college transfers Jervay Green and Cam Mack and transfers Dalano Banton, Shamiel Stevenson and Derrick Walker.

— NU Athletics —

Missouri women’s basketball adds two Division I tranfers

Posted on May 15, 2019

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball added transfer 6-foot-4 forward LaDazhia Williams to its 2019-20 roster, announced by head coach Robin Pingeton Thursday. Due to NCAA transfer requirements, Williams will sit out the upcoming 2019-20 season, then will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Williams, a five-star recruit and top-50 prospect from the Class of 2017, has spent the last two seasons at South Carolina where she appeared in 48 games, averaging 1.3 points per game. Williams posted career highs in points and rebounds against Western Carolina (Nov. 30, 2017), scoring 11 points with eight rebounds in 19 minutes.

Originally from Bradenton, Fla., Williams was ranked as the 12th-best forward and the No. 48 overall prospect in the Class of 2017 by ESPN HoopGurlz. Williams was a three-time Florida Association of Basketball Coaches (FABC) All-State Selection and a three-time Bradenton Herald All-Area Player of the Year honoree for Lakewood Ranch High School.

As a senior in 2017, Williams was the Class 8A Player of the Year by FABC and Sarasota Herald-Tribune after averaging 19.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. During her junior campaign, Williams was named the FABC 7A Player of the Year and led Lakewood Ranch to the Class 7A state title game, its best finish in program history. Williams closed her prep career as Lakewood Ranch’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder.

Also Wednesday, Mizzou Women’s Basketball added transfer guard Renetha “Shug” Dickson to its 2019-20 roster, as announced by head coach Robin Pingeton on Wednesday.

Dickson, a St. Louis native, is a 5-9 guard who spent her first two seasons at Tulsa where she earned American Conference All-Freshman Team honors in 2016-17. Dickson attended Texas Tech for the second semester of the 2018-19 season before deciding to join Mizzou.

At Tulsa, Dickson started in 36 of 60 games played and scored in double figures 28 times, including 20+ points in 14 games. She earned All-Freshman Team honors after averaging 8.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per with 51 assists. Following her outstanding debut campaign, Dickson was invited to participate in the 2017 USA Basketball U19 World Cup Team Trials. During her sophomore campaign, Dickson scored 14.1 points per game and grabbed 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 35.1 percent from three and 88.3 percent game the free throw line.

Dickson was a four-year starter at Lutheran North High School where she was a two-time Class 3A All-State selection and three-time All-Conference performer. During her senior season, Dickson averaged 24.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.8 steals per game. She was ranked as the No. 25 prospect in the Class of 2016 by ESPN HoopGurlz.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Griffons’ Ong tied for 17th after round one at NCAA National Championships

Posted on May 14, 2019

PALM SPRINGS, Fla. – Missouri Western senior Shi Qing Ong was 3-over-par in round one at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf National Championships to tie for 17th at the PGA National – Champion Course.

Ong finished day one on Tuesday just two strokes out of the top-10 with 15 holes of even-par, two double-bogeys and one birdie. She was knotted with 10 other competitors all at 3-over. Cal State San Marcos’s Claire Hogle led the field with a 4-under. Behind her were four competitors at 2-under. The rest of the field was even-par or over.

Shi Qing was 2-over after the front nine, posting eight even-par holes and a double-bogey on No. 14. She started her back nine with a birdie on No. 1, but followed that with a double-bogey before closing out the first round with seven-straight pars.

Ong will tee off for round two on Wednesday morning from the PGA National – Champion Course.

— MWSU Athletics —

Royals score early, blow out Rangers 11-5 in series opener

Posted on May 14, 2019

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nicky Lopez rewarded the few thousand Kansas City Royals fans that stuck around through a game that stretched well past 3 hours with his first career hit, an RBI single late in their 11-5 rout of the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

But as he gazed up from first base, the Royals’ top prospect found the ones that mattered most.

“I saw my family up there,” he said, “and that’s how I always imagined it.”

Lopez, who was called up from Triple-A Omaha earlier in the day, was hardly the only Royals player to take some productive swings against the Rangers. Hunter Dozier drove in three runs, and Alex Gordon and Jorge Soler drove in two apiece, as the Royals scored nine times in the first two innings.

They quickly knocked out Shelby Miller (1-3), who was pulled with two outs in the second after he allowed eight runs on seven hits in two walks in another ugly post-Tommy John performance.

Danny Duffy (2-1) was only marginally better for Kansas City, using 107 pitches just to survive five innings. He allowed four runs, seven hits and a walk while striking out seven.

“You make a couple of bad pitches and all of a sudden they get four runs,” Duffy said. “When my team gives me nine runs, it’s a travesty to not go as long as I can.”

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus left with tightness in his right hamstring after grounding out to end the seventh inning. He will be evaluated again Wednesday in another blow to a team that has lost five straight to fall a season-worst five games below .500.

“We’ll obviously evaluate him tomorrow,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said, “but he seems pretty optimistic. He hasn’t had a hamstring problem before. We’ll see when he wakes up tomorrow how he feels.”

The Royals pounced on Miller right from the start, sending seven to the plate in the first inning and jumping out to a 3-0 lead. But they cracked the game open in the second, when they sent 11 batters to the plate and drove in six runs against Miller and Rangers reliever Wei-Chieh Huang.

The stunning offensive outburst came after Kansas City managed six singles and no extra-base hits in a loss to the Phillies on Sunday. And it came after the arrival of Lopez, who got the start at second base and hit second behind Whit Merrifield in the lineup.

Lopez walked in the third before his first career hit made it a memorable night.

“Nicky had some great at-bats,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I was glad to see Nicky get his first hit. That’s under his belt and now he can move forward.”

Joey Gallo had a pair of RBI for the Rangers, who tried to climb back into the game with a four-run third. But they stranded runners in four consecutive innings, repeatedly failing to get the crucial hit they needed to avoid a 1-6 start to their nine-game, 10-day road trip.

“They put some runs together. They put some big innings together,” said Miller, whose ERA ballooned to 9.51 this season. “It’s disappointing. I feel like I let my team down big-time.”

NICKY’S NUMBER

The Royals originally made up No. 19 jerseys for Lopez, but he asked to wear No. 1 because it was the number his father wore in softball. New jerseys were made and arrived before first pitch.

ROSTER MOVES

The Royals made roster space for Lopez by sending right-hander Jake Newberry to Triple-A Omaha and designating first baseman Frank Schwindel for assignment. The Royals are hopeful Schwindel clears waivers and they can keep him in their organization.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers left-hander Cole Ragans, their first-round pick in the 2016 draft, will need a second Tommy John surgery after tearing his ulnar collateral ligament. The 21-year-old Ragans was close to pitching in a game for the first time since his last surgery when he began feeling discomfort about a week ago.

“It’s obviously concerning,” said Rangers general manager Jon Daniels, adding that surgery will be Wednesday. “This is the first Tommy John surgery we’ve had that’s failed.”

UP NEXT

The Royals hope Jorge Lopez (0-4, 6.07 ERA) can get on track Wednesday night after a blowout loss to the Astros. He goes against former Royals pitcher Mike Minor, who is 3-3 with a 2.68 ERA for Texas.

— Associated Press —

Cards hit 4 HRs to support Flaherty in 14-3 win over Braves

Posted on May 14, 2019

ATLANTA — It was difficult for Jack Flaherty to enjoy a runaway win over Atlanta because he couldn’t avoid one bad inning.

Flaherty didn’t have to worry. His St. Louis teammates roughed up Braves pitching all night.

St. Louis hit four home runs, including three-run shots by Marcell Ozuna , Yadier Molina and Kolten Wong, and the Cardinals beat struggling right-hander Mike Foltynewicz and the Braves 14-3 on Tuesday.

Flaherty (4-3) did not allow a hit through four innings. St. Louis led 11-0 before Flaherty gave up three runs and three hits in the fifth.

“Another long inning,” Flaherty said, adding “I’ve got to stay away from that.”

Cardinals manager Mike Schildt allowed Flaherty to remain in the game and finish strong with a perfect sixth inning.

“I was able to get through it,” Flaherty said.

The 2019 struggles for Foltynewicz (0-3) continued. He gave up eight runs, matching his career high, while lasting only 4 2/3 innings.

Foltynewicz, a 2018 All-Star, saw his ERA climb to 8.02 in four starts. He began the season on the injured list with a bone spur in his right elbow. He insists his elbow is fine.

“It’s really frustrating,” Foltynewicz said. “It’s nothing with the elbow or anything. We’re past that.”

Foltynewicz has allowed eight homers in 21 1/3 innings after allowing 17 in 183 innings in 2018, when he was 13-10 with a 2.85 ERA and 202 strikeouts.

Braves manager Brian Snitker said before the game he hoped Foltynewicz would be ready to find his top form after the late start to his season. Instead, the right-hander struggled from the first inning.

“Kind of everything is flat and not coming out real good,” Snitker said. “He paid for it.”

Ozuna’s homer gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead in the first. Dexter Fowler led off the fourth with a homer to right, and Molina’s shot knocked Foltynewicz out of the game and was the big hit in a six-run fifth.

Wong added to the lead with his three-run homer off Jonny Venters in the ninth.

Atlanta’s first hit off Flaherty in the fifth was Brian McCann’s broken-bat dribbler against the defensive shift toward an abandoned third base. McCann scored on pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson’s single to left. Ronald Acuna Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk off Flaherty to force in a run.

The Cardinals were shut out in each of Flaherty’s last two starts. Bolstered by the big offensive support against the Braves, Flaherty allowed three runs on three hits in six innings despite matching his career high with five walks. He had six strikeouts.

St. Louis outhit the Braves 14-3. Every Cardinals starter, including Flaherty, had at least one hit.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (shoulder) is scheduled to throw 30 pitches for Double-A Springfield on Wednesday. If all goes well, he could join the team this weekend in Texas.

Braves: CF Ender Inciarte left the game with lower back tightness before the fourth inning and was being examined after the game. … 1B Freddie Freeman started after missing Sunday’s game with an illness and having Monday’s off day for extra recovery time. Freeman was still sick, according to Snitker, who pulled the first baseman in favor of pinch-hitter Matt Joyce in the fifth.

HOME IN THE SOUTH

The Cardinals improved to 6-1 at SunTrust Park, which opened in 2017. They are 9-1 in their last 10 games in Atlanta since the start of the 2016 season.

BIDDLE RETURNS

Atlanta left-hander Jesse Biddle, activated off the injured list before the game, replaced Foltynewicz in the fifth and gave up four straight hits and a walk. He was charged with three runs while recording one out.

ROSTER MOVES

Atlanta right-hander Wes Parsons, who was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, pitched three scoreless innings. Left-hander Jerry Blevins was designated for assignment.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (3-0, 5.35) is 0-2 in five career games, including three starts, against the Braves entering Wednesday night’s game. He allowed two runs in a no-decision in his only previous start at SunTrust Park in May 7, 2017.

Braves: RHP Mike Soroka (3-1, 1.21) has allowed only four earned runs in five starts this season entering his first career start against St. Louis.

— Associated Press —