ST. LOUIS -- When
They waited for
\n\nWalk-off celebrations just hit differently in 2020. #STLCards pic.twitter.com/5XhL0uN2qx
— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) August 21, 2020
Despite the “unique” celebration, as manager Mike Shildt called it, the Cardinals were just glad to be celebrating. Down two runs in the ninth inning of their first home game in close to four weeks, the Cardinals scored three in a comeback against Reds relievers Raisel Iglesias and Nate Jones.\n\nAfter
With one out, Wong came to the plate 0-for-4 with three strikeouts on the night against starter Sonny Gray and reliever Lucas Sims. He was greeted with a five-man infield and the right-hander Jones on the mound, looking for a ground ball out of Wong.\n\n“You take a chance there, with a ground ball. You do have a chance to get the guy at the plate than if a fly ball is hit,” Reds manager David Bell said. “So at that point in the game, you’re just taking a shot, really. Your back’s up against the wall.”\n\nWong took two balls, fouled off a 96 mph sinker and then drove another 96 mph sinker deep to right-center field, out of Travis Jankowski's reach\n\n“Kinda got crushed in the beginning of the game,” Wong said. “Sonny made some really good pitches, so did Sims. It was one of those things where I kind of looked at my ABs and I knew that they were just making good pitches on me. I felt like my swing was there. I felt like I was swinging at mostly good pitches and just, you know, it was one of those games.\n\n“Just wanted to stay locked in because I knew that there was a chance for me to come up in the ninth and wanted to stay ready, stay positive, and try to finish this on a high note.”
Wong’s approach at the plate that inning was a representation of the Cardinals all night, Shildt said -- and really, all week. After playing eight games in five days in Chicago, they returned home Thursday for a four-game series against the Reds and no off-day in sight. They trailed early after defensive miscues in the first inning allowed two runs to score (both unearned) off starter