O'Neill's 3-hit game not enough vs. Dodgers

ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals were fully aware of their strength of schedule heading into the season’s final month, an unrelenting gauntlet against division rivals, first-place foes and other teams who, like them, are on the fringe of trying to punch a ticket for October.

The early going for St. Louis has not been kind, as they were stymied by the Dodgers once again on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium, 7-2, for their fourth loss in a row and fifth in seven tries in September. Los Angeles threw the kitchen sink -- a bullpen game -- the Cards’ way, and only Tyler O’Neill’s three-hit night was able to nick the reigning World Series champs for any semblance of a consistent threat.

• Box score

Not even the nostalgic vibes of Albert Pujols homering in his first at-bat back at Busch Stadium in a Dodgers uniform were enough to lift the mood. The Cardinals have faced three playoff contenders this month and have won just twice.

• Wild Card standings

St. Louis is winless in games in which it has faced a four-run deficit this season. Even tougher, the Cardinals own the National League’s second-hardest strength of schedule to close out the season, per FanGraphs.

"We've just got to piece some stuff together, keep getting on base, keep playing defense right, attacking the strike zone, just keep doing the little things right -- the things that make us the Cardinals,” O’Neill said. “That’s a good team over there. They’re playing good baseball; beat us twice now. We’ve got to come out with a little fire under our butt tomorrow. That’s it.”

It was Pujols who started the scoring for the visitors, hammering the second pitch from Cardinals starter J.A. Happ 386 feet to left field, representing his 112th home run at Busch Stadium III and second as a visitor, after his sentimental blast as an Angel in 2019. The Dodgers nicked Happ three more times, and the Cardinals, outside of a two-out rally in the third started by a double from O’Neill, had little else to show against one of MLB’s best.

Both losses have come after dropping a heartbreaking series to the NL Central-leading Brewers.

“Those are two good ball teams,” O’Neill said. “Milwaukee is leading the division for a reason and the Dodgers are the Dodgers. We’ve got to -- I don’t know. I don’t know. We’ve got to play better ball. That’s it. We’ve just got to be more complete.”

O’Neill has done his part to be chief among that latter portion, turning into the bona fide five-tool player the Cardinals hoped they were getting when they acquired him from the Mariners before the 2017 Trade Deadline in exchange for Marco Gonzales. Defense has always been his strong suit; he won a Gold Glove in 2020. But his bat has been arguably the most consistent of any Cardinal this season.

O’Neill’s 3-for-3 night with a walk on Tuesday raised his batting average on the season to .278 and his OPS to .868. Most impressive, it was his ninth game of the season with at least three hits. He entered the 2021 season with just three such games across his big league career, but none in the shortened ’20 season.

“I think I've learned the league a little bit, just how pitchers think and stuff and just understanding where they attack the zone and what their strengths are,” O’Neill said. “I'm just doing my due diligence to be able to counteract that and regiment my game plans and things. I’ve done a decent job of that.”

His manager is noticing. With a scheduled off-day for Paul Goldschmidt, O’Neill took over three-hole duties. He provided a punch that the Cardinals needed and was central to the two-out rally in the third, but he ended up with the lone run scored that inning.

Still, it continues to be valuable experience for him and the Cardinals, knowing they can rely on their 26-year-old left fielder as he continues his ascension. O’Neill’s prodigious pop -- the second-most homers of at least 450 feet -- is being met by a constant stroke.

“The thing I've been impressed with, he's realized what he needs to do physically and he’s done it,” said manager Mike Shildt. “And he also recognized what he needs to do mentally. He knows how he's going to get attacked, he knows what his thought processes are, he’s in a good place. Kudos to him. He’s developed as an excellent big leaguer.”