For the second time in the past six games the Los Angeles Dodgers faced a pitcher who was making his Major League debut. They jumped on Washington Nationals righty Reynaldo Lopez for three runs in the first inning, and enjoyed success against St. Louis’ Mike Mayers on Sunday.
Mayers didn’t allow the leadoff home run to Chase Utley that Lopez did, but the veteran second baseman reached on a base hit to center. Corey Seager followed with a jam-shot that went for an infield single up the third base line, and Justin Turner worked a walk to load the bases.
While Adrian Gonzalez had been mired in somewhat of a slump on the road trip, he hit a booming grand slam to straightaway center field. Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a hustle double before Mayers managed to record an out.
Joc Pederson walked with two outs, stole second base, and scored on Scott Kazmir’s two-run single up the middle. Mayers was chased after just 1.1 innings pitched.
The performance certainly wasn’t what he nor the Cardinals expected in the three-game series finale. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said in a good-natured manner he didn’t particularly feel for the rookie in his rough outing, via Bill Plunkett of the OC Register:
“Absolutely not. Pile on,” Roberts said with a sly smile. “This league, no one feels sorry for us. It’s a big-boy league. Not even a little bit. I hope he throws well his next turn.”
Mayers became just the second pitcher since 1913 to allow at least nine earned runs in fewer than two innings pitched in a first career start. That his debut came on a sweltering night at Busch Stadium and in front of a national audience on ESPN didn’t help matters.
The Cardinals were forced to call on the 24-year-old, because probable starter Tyler Lyons threw 4.2 innings out of the bullpen during Friday’s 16-inning game.
