Cards blank Giants, shuffle Wild Card standings

SAN FRANCISCO — The conclusion of a four-game set at AT&T Park on Sunday may have ushered in the final fortnight of the regular season, but it did nothing to separate a pair of Wild Card contenders standing precisely as they were when the series began. On the heels of an emotional, come-from-behind win, the Cardinals sealed a series split with Sunday’s 3-0 victory, one highlighted by a spectacular start from rookie Alex Reyes.

The Cardinals’ ninth shutout win of the season pulled them to within one game of the Giants in the National League Wild Card standings. However, while these two clubs battled to a series split, the Mets inched ahead of both. New York holds a one-game advantage over San Francisco.

Informed three days ago that he would be replacing a struggling Jaime Garcia in the Cardinals’ rotation, Reyes delivered the best performance of his budding career. Reyes, the organization’s top prospect, dazzled over seven scoreless innings, during which he held San Francisco hitless in six chances with a runner in scoring position. Reyes wrapped up his third career start with a nine-pitch seventh inning, indicative of the efficiency he showed throughout his 84-pitch afternoon.

Reyes was staked to a two-run lead when fellow rookie Aledmys Diaz took Giants starter Albert Suarez deep with a third-inning homer. Those would be the only runs allowed by the …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com