ST. LOUIS (AP) — Four pitchers combined for five innings of scoreless, two-hit relief after Miles Mikolas appeared to injury his forearm in his delayed season debut, and Yadier Molina hit a tiebreaking home run that lifted the St. Louis Cardinals over the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Saturday night.
Molina broke a 1-1 tie when led off the seventh inning with his seventh home run this season, connecting on a slider with an 0-2 count from Adbert Alzolay (2-4).
“I mean, we were pounding him with fastballs in the beginning,” Alzolay said about Molina. “I was feeling good about my slider but I left the pitch right over the middle. He got a good swing and he hit a homer.”
As Molina was stepping into the batter’s box, the videoboard showed a marriage proposal. Molina paused before hitting and flashed a big smile at the moment the young couple kissed.
“That was awesome, big time,” Molina said. “Most of the time I don’t look at it, but this time I did and I was hoping she’d say yes. I was happy for them. That moment for them was unbelievable for them and I wish them the best for the wedding.”
Mikolas, a 32-year-old right-hander who won 18 games in 2018, was activated Saturday for his first major league start since the 2019 NL Championship Series. He missed last season after flexor tendon surgery, then hurt his pitching shoulder in his first bullpen session of 2021.
Manager Mike Shildt was Mikola was undergoing an MRI after the game.
““I have nothing substantial other than it’s in his forearm,” Shildt said. ”We’re clearly hoping for the best and a positive return. I appreciate him being honest about how he felt.”
Mikolas allowed three hits in four innings, struck out three and walked one, falling behind in the first after he bounced a breaking ball off Joc Pederson’s back foot with his…
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