Cardinals lose to Diamondbacks 7-3 on July 18, 2025, as Brandon Pfaadt's 7 scoreless innings silence St. Louis bats. Read how the offense faltered.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a frustrating Friday night in Phoenix for the St. Louis Cardinals, who saw their offense completely neutralized in a 7-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt was the star of the show, carving up the Cardinal lineup for seven scoreless innings. The loss marks the fourth in the last six games for St. Louis, dropping their record to 51-46 and raising questions about the lineup's consistency as the second half heats up.
The Cardinals finished just 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, a statistic that tells the entire story of their offensive struggles.
The game was essentially decided by the two starting pitchers. While Arizona's Brandon Pfaadt was nearly untouchable, allowing just four hits with six strikeouts and, crucially, no walks, Cardinals starter Andre Pallante couldn't find his rhythm. Pallante was tagged for six runs on nine hits over just 4 2/3 innings, putting St. Louis in a deep hole. The Diamondbacks capitalized with timely hitting, including a two-run single from Geraldo Perdomo that broke the game open. The night's frustrations were perfectly encapsulated in the fifth inning when a spectacular defensive play by Alek Thomas robbed Jordan Walker of what looked like a sure extra-base hit.
The Cardinals' bats finally showed a pulse in the top of the ninth against the Diamondbacks' bullpen, but it was far too late to change the outcome. Speedster Victor Scott II provided a spark with a two-run home run, and Pedro Pagés followed up with an RBI single to make the final score more respectable. While the late rally didn't impact the result, seeing some fight from the bottom of the order provided a small silver lining on an otherwise bleak offensive night.
Despite the tough loss, there's reason for both immediate and long-term optimism. On Saturday, the Cardinals will hand the ball to their ace, Sonny Gray (9-3, 3.50 ERA), who will face Arizona's Ryne Nelson. Gray has been a workhorse, racking up 118 strikeouts to just 19 walks this season, and is exactly the kind of stopper the team needs right now. Looking further ahead, the farm system just received a major talent infusion from the 2025 MLB Draft. The additions of top pick LHP Liam Doyle (No. 5 overall), OF Ryan Mitchell, and RHP Tanner Franklin significantly deepen a prospect pool that already includes names like JJ Wetherholt and Tink Hence, promising a steady pipeline of talent to St. Louis for years to come.
Tonight's loss stings, there's no way around it. But baseball is a game of short memory. The Cardinals have an immediate chance to wash away the frustration with their ace, Sonny Gray, on the mound Saturday. A strong outing from Gray could be the reset button this team desperately needs to get back on track. While the present feels shaky, the future, bolstered by an exciting new draft class, is looking brighter than ever. Let's see if Gray can stop the bleeding and even this series.
