Cardinals starting pitcher Erick Fedde speaks with the media on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, after a series-ending loss to the Pirates at Busch Stadium. (Video by Ethan Erickson, Post-Dispatch)
Erick Fedde joined the Cardinals at the trade deadline, knowing that he鈥檇 be counted on to help their late-season playoff push. Even though the postseason pursuit fizzled, Fedde hasn鈥檛 stopped looking at himself as a pitcher the club acquired with the expectation that he could be a difference-maker.
There was a perceived level of expectation when the Cardinals acquired Fedde, and he鈥檚 not willing to let himself slide as far as meeting that expectation. At this point in the season with just nine games remaining, the right-hander鈥檚 efforts may be as much about establishing a baseline for next season as the impression he leaves this season.
Fedde turned in one of his best starts in his brief tenure as a Cardinal, a quality start on fewer than 90 pitches and with just one run allowed. He left the game with a slim lead that had more to do with the offense than with his performance.
Ultimately, Fedde got a no decision, and the Cardinals fell 3-2 in the finale of a four-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in front of an announced crowd of 32,194 at Busch Stadium on Thursday night.
鈥淥bviously when they give up players and invest in me, I want to be as high-quality as possible,鈥 Fedde said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 as sharp in this second half as I wanted to be, so of course there鈥檚 disappointment. I hold myself to high standards and expect more, and I鈥檓 hoping to build off of this start and keep going.鈥
Fedde allowed one run on four hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out three and threw an efficient 85 pitches (56 strikes). He recorded 11 of his 18 outs either via groundball or strikeout.
Asked about the pressure he puts on himself to meet expectation potentially cutting both ways, as a benefit or as a detriment, Fedde replied, 鈥淚t just depends on how you look at it, but pressure in a privilege and I鈥檝e got to make the most of it.鈥
The Cardinals (77-76) lost the game late after Fedde turned things over to the bullpen. He came into the night trying to snap a string of four consecutive losses, the longest such streak of his career. While he didn鈥檛 get the loss, he hasn鈥檛 gotten into the win column since August 7.
Fedde hit the ground running against the Pirates. He allowed a leadoff double to start the game on a ball that deflected off the glove of diving second baseman Brendan Donovan and into left field. Fedde still got through the first inning on eight pitches (seven strikes) thank to a pair of grounders to third base and a pup up. He retired the next seven consecutive batters after the double.
Fedde faced a potential tight jam in the third inning when he allowed a one-out single, a fielder鈥檚 choice and a walk to put two men on and two outs. Fedde struck out Pirates young phenom Oneil Cruz on a check-swing third strike to end the inning.
Had third base umpire D.J. Reyburn not called Cruz out on the appeal of the swing, Fedde would have walked a second consecutive batter and faced a bases-loaded situation.
The Pirates (72-81) only run against Fedde came in the top of the fourth thanks to a one-out triple smacked into right field by Nick Gonzales. That line drive up the right field line hit the ground and rolled into the right field corner.
By the time Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker chased the ball along the warning track, Gonzales had alertly dashed all the way to third base. Then with just one, Bryan De La Cruz lofted a fly ball to center field that allowed Gonzales to tag up and score.
Fedde allowed just one hit in his final two innings. He stranded a runner on third base in the sixth after a wild pitch allowed the runner to advance.
鈥淢y last couple outings haven鈥檛 felt super sharp, and I鈥檝e been putting in a lot of work,鈥 Fedde said. 鈥淚 felt much better today. Credit to the rest of the staff, they鈥檝e been working hard with me. (Pitching coach) Dusty (Blake) has been working hard, and today the ball felt really good in my hand. It felt like it was coming out well, and I felt like my old self a little bit today.鈥
Fedde, who began the season with the Chicago White Sox after he spent last season in the Korean Baseball Organization, said he focused recently on 鈥渟taying behind the baseball鈥 to help his fastball command and velocity. He also said he felt like his pitches had the late movement he desires, and that also elicited some 鈥渄efensive鈥 swings from opposing hitters.
Thursday marked Fedde鈥檚 30th start of the season, and he has now pitched 170 1/3 innings聽鈥 both new single-season highs for Fedde in the majors leagues.
In his nine starts with the Cardinals, Fedde has received two runs or fewer of run support eight times. That鈥檚 contributed to his 1-5 record in his Cardinals tenure. Fedde remains under contract for next season.
Fedde referenced 鈥減reparing for what we hope to be deep season runs in the future鈥 when asked about reaching new highs for innings and starts.
鈥淗e's had a heavy workload,鈥 Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. 鈥淗e's taken the ball every time. I thought he navigated that lineup well. I thought he didn't give in. Didn't fall into any patterns. Used as pitches appropriately. Used to changeup when needed. I thought (catcher Pedro) Pages worked with him really well too. Just the back and forth and the conversations in the dugout in between innings were good. I felt like I enjoyed watching what they did today. That was really good.鈥
The Cardinals put Fedde in position for a potential win when they took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Brendan Donovan, who collected a season-high four hits and drove in both of his team鈥檚 runs, gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead with his two-out RBI double in the sixth inning.
However, the Pirates tied the score in the top of the seventh against reliever Andrew Kittredge. Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal smashed a two-out solo home run into the right field stands against Kittredge, who took over for Fedde to start the seventh.
The Pirates (72-81) scored the winning run in the eighth inning after Ryan Fernandez, the Rule 5 Draft pick turned high-leverage mainstay, entered the game in relief of JoJo Romero with a runner on base.
Romero, a left-hander, gave up a single to start the eighth, but then got a double play to wipe away the runner. Romero then walked left-handed hitting Oneil Cruz. The Pirates then sent pinch hitter and right-handed batter Connor Joe to the plate, which prompted Marmol to counter by bringing in Fernandez.
Joe singled to put runners on first and third, then Gonzales lined a single to center field that scored Cruz and gave the Pirates a 3-2 advantage.
The Cardinals got the tying run on base in the ninth against left-handed flame-throwing relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman. Donovan singled to start the frame, but he was stranded on base to end the game.
Donovan went 4 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, and he registered his 13th game of three hits or more this season (the most by a Cardinals left-handed hitter since Matt Carpenter in had 18 in 2013).
鈥淚 felt pretty good,鈥 Donovan said of his day at the plate. 鈥淥bviously, I had that blooper that fell in, which is always good. Especially your first at-bat of the day, to have something go right.
鈥淲e made a little bit of a load adjustment a couple weeks ago. I鈥檓 very kind of old school in my preparation. It kept my head a little more still and allowed me to stay behind the baseball, and I think that put me on plane a little longer. I think it gives me a little longer to make decisions.鈥
The Cardinals begin their final home series of the season Friday against the Guardians. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m.
50度灰视频 Cardinals pitcher Erick Fedde throws to Pittsburgh Pirates Rowdy Tellez in the first inning on Thursday, Sept, 19, 2024, at Busch Stadium. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
The Cardinals' Brendan Donovan turns to round first base on an RBI double off Pirates pitcher Luis Ortiz as Paul Goldschmidt, back, comes in to score to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning on Thursday, Sept, 19, 2024, at Busch Stadium.