Cardinals' Oliver Marmol gets real about players' behavior during blowout loss vs. Nationals
07/07/2024 12:04 AM
The St. Lious Cardinals engaged in an uphill battle against the Washington Nationals on Saturday. St. Louis fell 14-9, and Oliver Marmol provided insight into some of his players’ behaviors during the blowout.
“I mean, we’re down nine and our dugout is as lively as it’s been all year. Fighting back and figuring out a way to throw a four-spot … just competing. … Really good to see some good swings out of Arenado and some really good swings out of Gorman as well,” Marmol said, via Bally Sports Midwest.
Oliver Marmol would have appreciated his team’s spirit if they got the win. Yet, their positivity is still admirable. The Cardinals had a tough showing on Saturday, but the team will not deter them. St. Louis still possesses a 46-42 record, which places them second in the NL Central standings. The club has had an impressive turnaround after a subpar start to the 2024 season. St. Louis has gone 6-4 in their last 10 games.
The Cardinals started their Nationals series with a 7-6 win on Friday. They will face Washington two more times before the series concludes. Oliver Marmol and company are looking for a bounce-back performance in their rematch on Sunday afternoon.
Marmol does not have to worry bout his players’ energy being off for much longer. Wilson Contreras possesses a spark that should allow the Cardinals to maintain their momentum. He dropped a fiery truth bomb after a home run against the Nationals on Friday.
Wilson Contreras keeps Cardinals pushing as the season’s midpoint approaches
"Everybody here is different, but we need that type of emotion, and I'm not going to ever change," Contreras said. "Energy like that is infectious, and it's good for this team. I love these guys, and they love me. We're here to grind and to win or lose together."
Contreras was exhilarated after his impressive hit on Friday. He spoke about the thrill of his team getting the win in the competitive matchup.
"That's what we play for and that's what makes baseball so exciting because you never know who is going to win," Contreras said talking about the moment he hit the home run in the ninth. "You never know when the big spot is going to come to you, but when you can hit a homer like that, it's really exciting. I'm not going to say I was trying to hit a homer. But I was just trying to get on top of that four-seam fastball because he has a good one."
St. Louis slugger Nolan Gorman further praised Contreras amid a promising showing of his own.
"Willson's electric, and we love when he gets fired up like that," Gorman said after the win over the Nationals. "I think there were more Cardinals fans here than Nationals fans, so he was making sure they were yelling with him. But he's electric, and we love that energy."
The Cardinals will try to replicate Friday night’s feats in their next matchup. Can St. Louis rally and even the series before their close-out game?
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