CINCINNATI – It took two games, one bruise, and one dramatic flex for friction to ignite between the Cardinals and Reds in a skirmish that recalled a rivalry from a decade ago.
In the fourth inning of a game the Reds won 9-6, the dugouts and bullpens both cleared for a fracas around home plate that led to one ejection and could mean more suspensions as Major League Baseball considers contact players made, shoves they administered and COVID-19 protocols they shattered.
The Cardinals narrowed the score in the top of the ninth inning when third baseman Nolan Arenado hit his first home run with his new team. Arenado’s two-run shot to the left-field seats came with two outs and helped to tidy a game that left welts.
The game was rapidly getting out of hand for the Cardinals, when rookie Jake Woodford hit Reds outfielder Nicholas Castellanos with a misplaced pitch.
Castellanos took issue with the bruise.
He had an epic bat flip in the Reds' decisive loss on opening day, and perhaps expected some rib tickling for that display. Regardless, the Cardinals weren't in a position to do much with starter Adam Wainwright out of the game in the third inning. Woodford had some innings to shoulder, not scores to settle. Castellanos retrieved the ball that hit him and brandished it at Woodford before taking his base.
Castellanos didn't see any innocence behind the pitch and carried that frustration with him all the way around the bases to third, where he was when Woodford uncorked a wild pitch.
Castellanos raced home.
Woodford raced to the plate.
They collided there with Woodford sliding into Castellanos, but not in time to apply the tag on the runner. The Reds outfielder popped up and looked down at the Cardinals' rookie and flexed over him, as if claiming a knockout or a takedown in some pro wrestling scene.
Catcher Yadier Molina got between the two and took clear issue with the display of Castellanos. Molina placed his hand on the back of Castellanos' jersey. Woodford got up and toward Castellanos, too.
Arenado was one of the first teammates to join Molina.
Dugouts cleared. Bullpens joined.
Austin Dean was among the players who tried to remove Woodford from any potential melee. Pitching coach Mike Maddux was one of the first out of the dugout and on the scene trying to separate players.
A donnybrook broke out, with more shoving and jawing than anything. Once tempers cooled, the relievers started back toward the bullpens, and the shouting at each other continued. At one point, Cardinals right-hander Jordan Hicks had to be held back after shoving a Reds player. He tried to shake loose of teammates and his jacket to get back at a group of Reds. John Nogowski, who had probably started the inning in the batting cage beside the clubhouse, was among the group that tried to hold Hicks back in the outfield.
So was manager Mike Shildt.
Castellanos was the only player ejected.
The COVID-19 protocols forbid such events on the field, and suspensions for some of the Cardinals involved could follow for members of both teams as a result. Major League Baseball will review reports and video from the incident.
Hicks would later make his 2021 debut – and his first appearance in more than 21 months – with a scoreless inning.
Like the Cardinals did on opening day, the Reds staked an early claim on the win with a six-run inning.
Beneath the surface turbulence that will dominate headlines and highlights was a second consecutive abbreviated outing by the Cardinals starter.
In his first start of 2021, Adam Wainwright did not finish the third inning. It was only the seventh time in a career with more than 300 starts that the right-hander did not get the ninth out of a start. Hit hard in the first inning, Wainwright was just hit weird in the prolonged third inning. The Reds had a series of singles not one of which had an exit velocity greater than 89 mph off the bat. Two knuckled off the bat at less than 64 mph. The spin on one took it out of the reach of third baseman Arenado, and one of the singles did not leave the infield. Yet, Wainwright invited the trouble with a leadoff walk to the inning and a two-run homer by Tucker Barnhart to start the Reds’ rally.
A total of six runs were scored off Wainwright in the inning, and he threw 31 pitches to get two outs from 10 batters.
Five of the six hits he allowed in the inning were singles.
Two games into their season and each Cardinals starting pitcher has allowed six runs. Wainwright and opening day starter Jack Flaherty combined to allow 12 runs and pitch only seven innings. Neither pitched deep enough into a game to qualify for the win. Wainwright allowed six runs (all earned) on seven hits and a walk. He struck out one.
The Cardinals took the first lead of the game in the same way they got their second run of the game. Paul DeJong provided both.
The Cardinals shortstop entered the game 2 for 14 in his career against Reds starter Tyler Mahle, and by the fourth inning DeJong had doubled his career hits against the right-hander. DeJong led off the second and fourth innings with solo home runs from the Cardinals’ cleanup spot. The Cardinals added a third run later when a misplay in left field allowed Arenado to score after his single in the sixth.
By that time, the Reds had opened their lead, rearranged their outfield to answer for the ejection and gotten under the Cardinals’ skin.
