(57-51, 2nd place in NL East) vs 
(63-44, 2nd place in NL Central) game 1
Craig Cooper 11-7, 3.37 Overall, 1st appearance vs Atlanta this year Robinson Rivera 10-6, 2.97 Overall 0-1, 4IP, 8H, 4R, 9.00 ERA vs STL
Robinson Rivera pitched a much better game vs. the Red Birds in this outing than in his 6/20 start where he was shelled in 4 innings. Rivera went 6 last night, striking out 7, and only allowing the one run on a solo shot to Juan Espinoza with 2 outs in the 6th. Still, he would exit with a 2-1 lead that would be padded in the top of the 7th by a 2 out RBI double by Antonio Diaz, who smoe the first pitch he saw from Craig Cooper into right and scored Marvin Grunn from first. The trouble for Atlanta really kicked off late, in the 8th inning when normally steady Riley Pint came in to relieve Alex Collins. In the 8th inning he would walk the lead off batter Clark Martin, just his 4th walk on the year through 20 innings, but get out of the inning unscathed. In the 9th however, Pint would return and alllow a quick single to rookei first baseman Dan Katz, walk Cedric Rutherford on a 3-2 count, then walk Esteban Hernandez in a 10 pitch at bat to load the bases. That walk would double his walk totals to 6 on the year. Augusto Candelalia would then single and score Katz and Rutherford to tie the game before John Howe would be brought in to finish out the inning. after a quiet 10th inning, Donald Austin would give up a two out double to Brandon Nimo and Julio Rodriguez, the catcher with 30 rated speed, would score from first to end the game.
Game two tonight is slated to see Walker Buehlers debut for Atlanta, as he will square off against Dave Smith for the Cardinals.