For the Cardinals, as they creep closer to a pivotal tangle in the ivy this weekend, the fade of their offense forces them to determine if they’re seeing pitchers play their best — or if they’re just being played.
The Cardinals couldn’t resist the allure of one of the game’s elite sliders and managed to score only on errors as Washington and lefty Patrick Corbin drew them into a 6-2 loss Tuesday night at Busch Stadium. Committed to the same lineup for a season-high fifth consecutive game, the Cardinals offered more reasons for a shakeup than hits as they reached down and out of the zone for Corbin’s sinister pitch, striking out 14 total times and aggravating their troubles with runners in scoring position by going zero-for-nine.