St. Louis Cardinals (2-2) vs. Minnesota Twins (3-1) Game No. 5 • Road Game No. 2 • Target Field • Wednesday, July 29, 2020 RHP Daniel Ponce de Leon (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Rich Hill (4-1, 2.45 in 2019) RECENT REDBIRDS: The defending 2019 NL Central St. Louis Cardinals con- RECORD BREAKDOWN tinue their seven-game, nine-day road trip tonight through Minnesota (0-1), CARDINALS vs. TWINS All-Time Overall ......... 10,139-9,630 Milwaukee (July 31-Aug. 2) and Detroit (Aug. 3-4)...tonight’s series finale is All-Time (1997-2020):...............................13-14 2020 Overall................................2-2 the second of four total matchups between St. Louis and Minnesota during the in St. Louis: ........................................................ 10-6 shortened 60-game season. Under Mike Shildt ...............134-101 at Busch Stadium II (1997-2005): ........................ 7-2 at Busch Stadium III (2006-18): ........................... 3-4 Busch Stadium ...........................2-1 PONCE DE LEON TO START: Called upon tonight to make a spot start in place of injured Miles Mikolas (right forearm strain), Daniel Ponce de Leon makes in Minnesota (1998-2020): ...........................3-8 On the Road ................................0-1 his first start since the second game of a doubleheader vs. Cincinnati (Sept. at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (1998-2000) ... 2-4 Day .............................................. 1-1 1, 2019) once rosters were expanded...Among pitchers with 12 or more starts at Target Field (2015-20): ..........................1-4 Night ............................................ 1-1 since 2018, Ponce de Leon’s .205 opp. batting average ranks the 12th-lowest in 2020: ....................................................0-1 Spring.....................................11-9-2 MLB (Justin Verlander is 1st at .185 and Jack Flaherty is 4th at .196). at Busch Stadium: ............................................... 0-0 July ........................................... 2-2 AGE IS JUST A NUMBER: Four of the seven oldest players in MLB will be active at Target Field: ......................................0-1 August .......................................n/a for tonight’s series finale at Target Field, which includes 2nd-oldest Rich Hill at 2018:..................................................................... 0-2 2009:..................................................................... 1-2 September .................................n/a age 40.140 (born March 11, 1980) and 3rd-oldest Nelson Cruz at 40.028 (July 1, 1980). Adam Wainwright is 5th-oldest in MLB and the NL’s senior member 2001:..................................................................... 3-0 Monday......................................n/a at 38.334 (August 30, 1981), followed by Yadier Molina and Shin-Soo Choo at Postseason (1987): ................................................ 3-4 Tuesday .................................... 0-1 ages 38.016 (both born July 13, 1982). Former Cardinal Albert Pujols is MLB’s 2020 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS (0-1) Wednesday ................................n/a oldest player at age 40.195 (January 16, 1980). 7/28 at MIN .... L, 6-3 ..... Bailey-C.Martinez-Romo Thursday ...................................n/a MISSING THE TARGET: The Cardinals have the 3rd-worst win pct (.250, 1-4) 7/29 at MIN ....................................7:15 p.m. Friday ........................................ 1-0 at Target Field since it was built in 2010, ahead of the Padres (.143, 1-6) and 9/8 at STL ................................................... 7:10 p.m. Saturday ................................... 1-0 Diamondbacks (.167, 1-5). After last night’s defeat, the Cardinals are 13-14 all- 9/8 at STL ................................................... 7:10 p.m. time vs. Minnesota and currently sport losing records against three of the five Sunday ..................................... 0-1 Last Cardinals sweep: ..........June 15-16, 2015 at STL AL Central Teams (Twins 13-14; Tigers 12-23; Indians 10-16)…The Cardinals Scoring First ............................. 2-1 have never won consecutive games at Minnesota (including the World Series). Last Twins sweep: .................... May 7-8, 2018 at STL Opponent Scores First .............. 0-1 DESIGNATED TO HIT: Since the beginning of interleague play (1997-present), One-Run Games .........................1-0 the Cardinals lead MLB teams in batting average (.296) and on-base pct. (.369), and rank 2nd to the Boston Red Sox (.513, .882) in both Two-Run Games ......................... n/a slugging pct. (.502) and OPS (.871) from their designated hitters. Scoring 2 or fewer Runs .............0-2 INTERLEAGUE ACTION: St. Louis is 190-186 all-time in Interleague play, with a .505 win pct. that trails the Cubs (.512) and trails the Mets Scoring 3 Runs ........................... n/a (.520) for 3rd-best all-time among National League clubs...St. Louis has finished with a winning Interleague record 12 times in 23 seasons Scoring 4 or more Runs .............2-0 (since 1997)...St. Louis was 9-11 vs. the American League last season. Scoring in 3 or fewer innings ......0-2 MOLINA MILESTONES: Yadier Molina needs three more games played to reach 1,990 for his career and tie Ozzie Smith (1982-96) for 3rd Scoring in 4 or more innings ......2-0 all-time in Cardinals history...Molina needs 1 homer to reach 157 and pass Matt Holliday (2009-16) for 11th all-time in Cardinals history and vs. Right-Handed Starter ...........2-2 two more doubles to reach 381 and tie Johnny Bench (1967-83) for 8th all-time among catchers in MLB history. vs. Left-Handed Starter .............. n/a TOMMY BOY: Tommy Edman has reached base safely in his last 22 games (.379/.455/.690) dating back to Sept. 10, 2019, tied with Pitts- Series Openers ........................... 1-1 burgh’s Josh Bell for longest active in MLB. Yadier Molina was the last Cardinal to reach the 22-game mark, doing so from April 9-May 6, Series Finales ..............................0-1 2019...Edman’s four triples over his last 14 games (since Sept. 19, 2019) are most in MLB over that period...Edman has hit safely in his first Homestand Openers ..................1-0 four games of the season, one of 15 National Leaguers in 2020. Homestand Finales ....................0-1 BIRD BYTES: St. Louis was 1-3 after four games in 2019 (2-3 after five). Matt Carpenter’s next double will be the 286th of his career, moving Road Trip Openers ......................0-1 him into a tie with Frankie Frisch (1927-37) for 13th all-time in franchise history...Dexter Fowler has hit safely in seven of eight career games at Target Field...Tyler Webb hasn’t allowed a baserunner to his last 25 straight batters dating back to Sept. 15, 2019...his last batter permitted Road Trip Finales ........................ n/a on base was Mike Moustakas, who walked on Sept. 14, 2019)...Paul Goldschmidt has homered against 26-of-30 MLB teams, except for Following Off-Days .....................0-1 Minnesota, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Toronto. Out-Hit Opponents .....................2-0 THIS DATE IN CARDINALS HISTORY (July 29): Albert Pujols becomes the fifth Cardinal to reach 2,000 career hits with an RBI double to left Out-Hit by Opponents.................0-1 off Cubs pitcher Carlos Marmol. He is the 12th-quickest player to reach 2,000 hits, taking 1,650 games... Yadier Molina is currently 34 hits Final At-Bat Decisions ................ n/a shy of becoming the sixth Cardinal to reach 2,000 hits. Come-from-Behind W/L ...............n/a Walk-off Wins/Losses ................0/0 MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS In Errorless Games .................... 1-1 The Twins defeated the Cardinals, 4-3, in the 1987 Cardinals Assistant GM/Scouting Director Randy Twins pitcher Rich Hill pitched in 23 games for Commit at Least One Error ......... 1-1 World Series...marked the first World Series in Flores pitched in 11 games for the Twins in 2010. the Memphis Redbirds (AAA) in 2010 before be- history in which the home team won every game... ing released on June 26. Twin Pitching Coach Wes Johnson previously Extra Innings .............................. n/a notable Cardinals to appear included coaches Wil- served as the 2016 Mississippi State University Twins pitcher Danny Coulombe was born St. Louis. lie McGee and José Oquendo, Cardinals Hall of Shutouts ..................................... n/a Asst./Pitching Coach in 2016, where he coached Famers Ozzie Smith and Vince Coleman, & Tom Joe Mauer and current Twins Special Assistant Leading after 7 innings ...............2-0 Dakota Hudson as a junior. Herr, and broadcaster Ricky Horton. Justin Morneau represented Minnesota in the Tied after 7 innings ..................... n/a Twins Bench Coach Mike Bell is the younger broth- 2009 All-Star Game at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals and Twins played a two-game Ex- er of former Cardinals coach (2014-17) and infield- Trailing after 7 innings ................0-2 hibition series (April 2-3) at Target Field prior to Twins Special Assistant Jim Kaat was purchased er (1995-98) David Bell…Mike also played in eight the 2010 season. by the Cardinals from the Yankees (April 30, Leading after 8 innings ...............2-0 games for the Memphis Redbirds (AAA) in 2005. 1980)...pitched parts of four seasons with St. Kolten Wong was selected by the Twins in the 16th Tied after 8 innings ..................... n/a Twins pitcher Jake Odorizzi was born in nearby Louis (1980-83)...was a member of the 1982 round of the 2008 MLB Draft, but did not sign. Trailing after 8 innings ................0-2