The results from his previous outing were so putrid, so obvious there in the box score or in his swollen ERA that Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas said he had no need to review any of the pitches he threw in a loss at Boston. He could move on from them all.
That might be harder to do with one he dotted-up Saturday.

Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas sits in the dugout after working the third inning against the Phillies on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
A taut game mostly decided by the Phillies’ ability to get grounders and spin them into double plays, hinged in the first inning around a full-count pitch Mikolas slipped inside the zone for an apparent strikeout. When it was called a ball instead, the resulting walk wandered into a two-run inning for Philadelphia, and the Phillies never trailed in a 4-1 win at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals bounced into five double plays in the first eight innings, cleaning up any runners they may have stranded but also sabotaging any rallies they tried to muster.
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Frustrated by the missed call, Mikolas (0-2) found his footing for his sturdiest stretch of the young season. The veteran allowed nine runs on 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings at Fenway Park this past weekend, and in his bounce-back chance he limited the Phillies to three runs on three hits and struck out six. He retired 10 consecutive Phillies after Nick Castellanos’ two-run double in the first, and notably Mikolas struck out five of them. He got 11 swings and misses, nine in the first five innings.
Phillies lefty Cristopher Sanchez was superb with a heavy, high-octane fastball that forced all of the grounders. He allowed eight hits, but his overpowering sinker, kept the Cardinals grounded. Through 6 1/3 innings, Sanchez (1-0) got seven groundouts. Six of the first nine outs he got came on double plays.
It was the first time since July 1950 the Cardinals hit into five double plays in a home game.

Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II deflects a fly ball hit by Nick Castellanos of the Phillies that scored two runs in the first inning on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.
Willson Contreras provided the Cardinals’ lone run with a single in the sixth inning to score Luken Baker after the designated hitter’s double. That was the only extra-base hit off Sanchez and a double turned out to be the best way to avoid a double play.
Double-up trouble galore
Even when the Philadelphia Phillies phlubbed a potential double play, the Cardinals gave them a second chance at turning two.
Whatever the Cardinals could muster offensively in the first three innings ended with the Phillies turning a double play. They got the first two outs of the first inning on a double play and the last two outs of the second inning on a double play. When the Cardinals collected three singles in the third inning, the potential rally went nowhere because lefty Sanchez coaxed a double play.
By the end of the third, Baker had two at-bats that caused four outs.
In the fifth inning, another single by a Cardinal gave the Phillies the setup for a double play, and two batters later came the groundball to get it. But shortstop Trea Turner’s toss to second was high and second baseman Bryson Stott, involved in the three previous double plays, couldn’t control the catch. The Phillies curiously challenged the obvious call and watched with the rest of the folks at Busch Stadium the video that confirmed the poor use of a challenge.
No matter.
The next Cardinal, No. 9 hitter Thomas Saggese, chopped a grounder back to Stott and this time he let Turner — it is in the name — be the pivot for the Phillies’ fourth double play in five innings.
The K that got away
Mikolas had the inning, had the count, had the command, and had the pitch to begin Saturday’s game assertively after the mess at Fenway Park.
He just didn’t get the call.
With the help from a lunging, backhand catch by Jordan Walker on a line drive to right field, Mikolas got two quick outs in the first inning before Bryce Harper roped a single. That brought cleanup hitter Kyle Schwarber and his six homers in the season so far to the plate. Mikolas and Schwarber dueled to a full count after eight pitches. Mikolas seemed to tickle the bottom of the zone with a changeup Schwarber ignored for a ball, and Schwarber held tight by fouling off a couple of near-miss breaking balls.
The ninth pitch was a full-count sinker at 91.6 mph.
Schwarber took it.
Replays of the pitch and ’s gamecast graphic available online all show the pitch in the strike zone — ready to be a called third strike to end the inning. Home-plate umpire Scott Barry had a different view, called it a ball, and gave Schwarber the base.
What followed was a two-run jag by the Phillies to take an early lead with the only runs scored in the first four innings of the game. Mikolas let a pitch leak over the middle of the plate and Castellanos tagged it for a two-out, two-run double that capitalized on the missed call. Center fielder Victor Scott II attempted a dashing, diving catch of the double that glanced off his outstretched glove before he skidded, headfirst, into the wall. Scott was unharmed. The same could not be said for Mikolas’ ERA.
Instead of ending the inning with that pitch to Schwarber, Mikolas missed on a pitch to Castellanos and Philadelphia had the early lead.
Matz’s final tuneup
On the final day the Cardinals could use him in relief before he prepares to move into the rotation with a start Wednesday against Houston, Steven Matz carried the innings after Mikolas’ five and into the eighth. Matz allowed one run on five hits and struck out one. The line could have been mangled if not for the Cardinals’ debut of right-hander Roddery Munoz.
Added to the roster Friday, Munoz relieved Matz with two on in the eighth. Set to serve in a length role — but capable of growing with his high-velocity into tougher spots — Munoz struck out both batters he faced to freeze the Phillies’ lead at 4-1.
Munoz landed four different pitches at 87 mph or faster.
Gorman off the IL, into PH
The same day he successfully lobbied his swing was ready for games and he came off the injured list, Nolan Gorman found himself in a pinch-hit spot with a chance to tie the game.
In the seventh, the Cardinals paired a walk and a single to chase Sanchez from the game and get the bullpen involved. When the Phillies called on right-hander Orion Kerkering to get the final two outs of the seventh inning, the Cardinals countered with Gorman’s left-handed bat for Saggese’ right-handed swing. Gorman pounced on the first pitch he saw, the first pitch Kerkering threw, and drove an 87-mph sweeper — but it hung up for a fly out to center.
That left the inning to leadoff hitter Lars Nootbaar.
He worked the count to 2-2, and then took a 97-mph fastball off the inside edge of the plate. Nootbaar buckled as Barry shared his opinion of the pitch.
It was the strike three he did not give earlier.
Photos: Cardinals lose to Phillies 4-1 at Busch

Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas sits in the dugout after working the third inning against the Phillies on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.

Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker displays the ball after catching a line drive hit by Philadelphia’s Bryson Stott in a game on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.

Morgan Lasher holds Yadi as Lacey Veeck, holding Winston, takes her picture at Pooches at the Park day as the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals play the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

Cardinals infielder Thomas Saggese, left, prepares to start alongside Victor Scott II and Jordan Walker against the Phillies on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas arrives in the dugout from the bullpen to start against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

The Cardinals’ Miles Mikolas pitches against Philadelphia on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.

Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II deflects a fly ball hit by Nick Castellanos of the Phillies that scored two runs in the first inning on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker catches a line drive hit by Bryson Stott in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals Lars Nootbaar strikes out with two men on base to end the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals Lars Nootbaar strikes out with two men on base to end the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals Luken Baker scores in the sixth inning on a single by Willson Contreras against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

Cardinals pitcher Steven Matz works the sixth inning against the Phillies on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals shortstop Thomas Saggese throws out J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn, on the injured list because of back pain, walks through the dugout as the Cardinals play the Phillies on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Busch Stadium.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals Jordan Walker is safe at second base off a missed catch by Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott as Victor Scott II reaches on a fielder’s choice in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals pitching coach Dusty Blake visits the mound with pitcher Steven Matz, right, and catcher Pedro Pages in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals pitcher John King works the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Cardinals pitcher Roddery Muñoz pitches out of the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado sets to throw out Trea Turner of the Phillies to end the ninth inning at Busch Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Phillies 4, Cardinals 1
Philadelphia AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Stott 2b 5 0 1 1 0 1 .250
Turner ss 5 0 1 1 0 1 .261
Harper 1b 4 1 1 0 0 0 .250
Schwarber dh 2 1 1 0 2 1 .288
Castellanos rf 4 0 3 2 0 0 .308
Kepler lf 4 0 0 0 0 2 .200
Realmuto c 4 0 0 0 0 1 .231
Bohm 3b 4 1 1 0 0 2 .158
Marsh cf 2 1 0 0 1 2 .118
Totals 34 4 8 4 3 10
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Nootbaar lf 3 0 1 0 1 2 .278
Baker dh 3 1 1 0 0 0 .294
Burleson ph-dh 1 0 0 0 0 0 .279
Contreras 1b 4 0 2 1 0 0 .132
Arenado 3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 .265
Donovan 2b-ss 4 0 1 0 0 2 .357
J.Walker rf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .255
Pagés c 3 0 1 0 1 0 .294
Scott cf 3 0 1 0 0 0 .265
Saggese ss 2 0 1 0 0 0 .471
Gorman ph-2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 .444
Totals 32 1 9 1 2 5
Philadelphia 200 010 100 — 4 8 1
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 000 001 000 — 1 9 0
E: Stott (1). LOB: Philadelphia 7, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 6. 2B: Castellanos 2 (5), Stott (3), Baker (2). S: Marsh. DP: Philadelphia 5.
Philadelphia IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Sánchez, W 1-0 61/3 8 1 1 2 3 3.12
Kerkering 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 1.69
Romano 1 1 0 0 0 0 10.50
Alvarado, S 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 1.23
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Mikolas, L 0-2 5 3 3 3 2 6 9.00
Matz 21/3 5 1 1 1 1 2.31
Muñoz 2/3 0 0 0 0 2 0.00
King 1 0 0 0 0 1 6.75
Inherited runners-scored: Kerkering 2-0, Muñoz 2-0. WP: ³§Ã¡²Ô³¦³ó±ð³ú. T: 2:23. Att.: 30,791.