Riley

O'Brien

O’Brien got the job done in the end, but not before making everyone pretty nervous. He also threw 31 pitches, which might take him out of play Sunday. O’Brien has allowed 13 earned runs, walked 10 and hit four batters over 17 innings in his last 17 appearances. He could bounce back, but those in deeper leagues on the hunt for saves might want to think about stashing George Soriano. He’s not taking over the job just yet, but he could close Sunday if O’Brien needs the day off.

O’Brien’s save was his 17th. He pitched around a one-out double to slam the door on the Reds, sealing a 5-3 victory for the Cardinals. O’Brien’s ERA is 3.68 and he’s blown four saves already. Still, in the current closer landscape, he’s been one of the more consistent ninth inning guys.

O’Brien is making things way too interesting of late, but he managed a scoreless ninth after allowing two singles and a walk with two outs in the ninth today. The walk today was O’Brien’s fifth in six appearances after he issued just two in his first 22 outings. He’s 16-for-20 saving games this season.

Things have been shaky for O’Brien lately, taking a blown save or loss in three of his last four appearances before this one. He even gave up a run in that one converted save. Things again got dicey here when he walked the lead-off batter in a two-run game, but things settled shortly after that. He seems to still have a solid grip on this closer job without many other strong options in the Cardinals’ bullpen.

A walk, three singles and a sac fly doomed O’Brien tonight. It’s the fourth straight appearance in which O’Brien has allowed a run, though one of those was just the automatic runner in extras. He has four blown saves and a 4.01 ERA, though he’s struck out 27, walked five and allowed only one homer in 26 1/3 innings. As long as the control mostly holds up, he’s probably still the best bet in the St. Louis pen. Still, it’d be hard to blame the team for getting antsy.

Pete Crow-Armstrong started the ninth with a double in a two-run game, advanced to third on a comebacker that bounced off O’Brien but was still turned into an out and then scored on a groundout. Another groundout followed, ending the game at 6-5. It’s O’Brien’s 14th save in 18 chances. He’s been shaky all month, but there isn’t anyone else in the St. Louis pen who rates as a better bet going forward.

The Cardinals didn’t score either inning, so they got what they deserved. In the bottom of the 11th, P.J. Higgins bunted the automatic runner to third to start the frame. Blake Dunn later hit a soft liner up the middle that Masyn Winn played on a hop and tried to throw out the runner at home but was just a tad late. It goes as O’Brien’s second loss, but he won’t take any blame for it.

O’Brien loaded the bases on a single and two hit by pitches to start the inning, only to get a double play ball from Marcell Ozuna afterwards. That put him in position to salvage things, but he then walked Oneil Cruz and gave up a game-tying single to Spencer Horwitz before retiring Brandon Lowe. It was O’Brien’s fourth blown save, but the Cardinals did win tonight in 10, and they’re 21-2 when he pitches this season. He’s leaving the door open for someone else to emerge as the Cardinals’ closer, but there still isn’t anyone else in the pen that’s as good of a bet as he is.

The Cardinals had to get O’Brien ready in a hurry after scoring twice in the top of the ninth to take a one-run lead. O’Brien responded very well, though he did hit a batter in the 16-pitch inning. He has three hit batters but just two walks in 21 innings this season.

O’Brien was summoned in the ninth inning with a two-run lead to close out the game against the A’s. He walked the leadoff man, then induced a ground ball double play before recording the final out for his 12th save of the season. The 31-year-old right-hander has been one of the best closers in baseball, recording a 2.70 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and a 23/2 K/BB ratio across 20 innings.