1–5
Player Influence
Landen Roupp
Landen Roupp took the loss after pitching 4.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts on 88 pitches.
- pitches
- 88
- innings appeared
- 1–5
MLB
September 14, 2026 · Busch Stadium
San Francisco Giants at St. Louis Cardinals Game Analysis — September 14, 2026
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| STL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 8 | 0 |
Follow the scoring sequence from the first run to the final margin.
SFScoreSTL
- 50–1Supports the analysis
Burleson singled to right, Saggese scored, Herrera to third.
- 0–2Supports the analysis
Bernal singled to right, Herrera scored, Walker to second, Burleson to third.
- 6Supports the analysis
Cox singled to center, McCray scored.
1–2
Read the plays and performances in chronological order, or filter the view by team.
- 1–6 · linked
Player Influence
Thomas Saggese
Thomas Saggese singled twice in four at-bats, stole a base in the fifth inning, and scored the game's opening run.
- 1–7
Starting Pitching Appearance
Quinn Mathews
Quinn Mathews struck out eight batters across 6.2 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and two walks on 99 pitches.
- pitches
- 99
- innings appeared
- 1–7
- 1–7 · linked
Player Influence
Alec Burleson
Alec Burleson reached base in three of four plate appearances, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI single, a walk, and a strikeout.
- 1–7
Pitch Pattern
Quinn Mathews
Quinn Mathews threw his 4-seam fastball on 35 of his 99 pitches (35.4%), generating 5 whiffs and 16 total swings.
- pitches
- 99
- innings appeared
- 1–7
- 1–8 · linked
Base Out State
Ivan Herrera · Ramon Urias
St. Louis grounded into two double plays, with Ivan Herrera grounding into one in the first inning and Ramon Urias in the eighth inning.
- 2–8 · linked
2–8
Leo Bernal
Leo Bernal went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI single, contributing three of the Cardinals' eight total hits in the game.
- ▲5–▼5
Bullpen Usage
Reiver Sanmartin
Reiver Sanmartin faced three batters in the fifth inning without recording an out, allowing two hits and a walk on 11 pitches with two inherited runners scoring.
- 5–6
5–6
Quinn Mathews · Alec Burleson · Leo Bernal
The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the San Francisco Giants 2-1, scoring both of their runs on fifth-inning RBI singles from Alec Burleson and Leo Bernal while Quinn Mathews earned the win with 6.2 innings of one-run ball.
- 5–6
Inherited Runner Relief
Joel Kuhnel · Joshua Baez · Nolan Gorman
Joel Kuhnel relieved Reiver Sanmartin with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth inning, striking out Joshua Baez and getting Nolan Gorman to ground out to strand all three inherited runners.
Bottom of the 5th — bases and outs
6 plate-appearance transitions in the bottom of inning 5. - ▲7–▼7
High-leverage Relief
Justin Bruihl · Grant McCray
Entering with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning, Justin Bruihl induced a groundout from Grant McCray on seven pitches to strand all three inherited runners and protect St. Louis's 2-1 lead.
- ▲7–▼7
Bullpen Usage
Trent Harris
Trent Harris retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh inning on 13 pitches, recording one strikeout.
- ▲8–▼8
Bullpen Usage
Carson Seymour · Ramon Urias
Carson Seymour pitched a scoreless eighth inning on nine pitches, inducing an inning-ending double play from Ramon Urias after allowing a leadoff single.
- ▲8–▼8
Bullpen Usage
Ryne Stanek
Ryne Stanek earned a hold by pitching a scoreless eighth inning, striking out two while allowing one hit and one walk on 26 pitches.
- ▲9–▼9
Save Situation
Riley O'Brien
Riley O'Brien pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save, striking out two batters and stranding two runners after allowing a single, a walk, and a wild pitch.
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher deployment
Observed pitching-staff sequence by inning (4 pitchers, 3 subsequent). - ▲9–▼9
Pitch Pattern
Riley O'Brien
Riley O'Brien threw his sweeper on 12 of his 19 pitches (63.2%) in the ninth inning, generating 5 whiffs and 6 chases.
See what the reviewed evidence supports—and where its limits are.
Kuhnel cleaned up the fifth after San Francisco had already paid for it
MediumKuhnel prevented further damage in the fifth inning by retiring both batters faced with the bases loaded.
Evidence
Bottom 5
- Joshua Baez vs Joel Kuhnel
- Nolan Gorman vs Joel Kuhnel
- Kuhnel relieved Sanmartín
- Báez struck out looking.
- Gorman grounded out to first.
- Joel Kuhnel · 1.2 IP · 0 H · 0 ER · 1 K · 0 BB · 25 pitches
- Joel Kuhnel · bullpen · 25 pitches · innings 5–6
- Base/out transitions · Bottom 5
Not implied
- Does not indicate Kuhnel's future bullpen leverage role or long-term high-leverage effectiveness.
Limitations
- Does not prove managerial strategy or pitch tunneling intention.
Bruihl took the game's hardest out
MediumBruihl stranded all three inherited runners with an inning-ending groundout in the seventh.
Evidence
Top 7
- Grant McCray vs Justin Bruihl
- Bruihl relieved Mathews
- Pitch 7 : Ball In Play
- McCray grounded out to shortstop.
- Justin Bruihl · 0.1 IP · 0 H · 0 ER · 0 K · 0 BB · 7 pitches
- Justin Bruihl · bullpen · 7 pitches · inning 7
- Base/out transitions · Top 7
Not implied
- Does not prove Bruihl is the default high-leverage reliever in all comparable contexts.
Limitations
- Does not reveal tactical pitch-calling intent or advance-scouting plans.
O'Brien's ninth had traffic everywhere but one answer
HighO'Brien secured a save by pitching a scoreless ninth inning despite two baserunners.
Evidence
- Riley O'Brien · 1 IP · 1 H · 0 ER · 2 K · 1 BB · 19 pitches
Top 9
- Nate Furman vs Riley O'Brien
- Jung Hoo Lee vs Riley O'Brien
- Drew Cavanaugh vs Riley O'Brien
- Grant McCray vs Riley O'Brien
- Christian Koss vs Riley O'Brien
- Furman struck out swinging.
- Lee singled to right.
- Cavanaugh walked, Lee to second.
- McCray struck out swinging.
- Cavanaugh to second on wild pitch by O'Brien, Lee to third on wild pitch by O'Brien.
- Koss grounded out to shortstop.
- Riley O'Brien · bullpen · 19 pitches · inning 9
Not implied
- Does not establish a permanent closer designation or season-long late-inning reliability.
Riley O'BrienSt. Louis Cardinals