Jordan Walker Hits Moonshot, But Cardinals Lose Heartbreaker to Padres

(Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images The St. Louis Cardinals got a positive if not spectacular start from Kyle Leahy on Sunday, but it was Jordan Walker’s Mother’s Day moonshot that helped the Cardinals nearly beat the San Diego Padres. Almost.

If you just look strictly at the numbers, Kyle Leahy really did have a solid start on Sunday. While his bottom of the 1st inning was a bit nerve-racking, he was able to escape without allowing a run and ended up pitching the Cardinals into the 5th inning. His overall stat line was 5 full innings allowing no runs, on just 2 hits with 5 strikeouts and 4 walks.

It was the walks that made a few innings uncomfortable, but job well done, Kyle. He made a crucial play in the bottom of the 5th inning when he nabbed a ball up the middle as it ended up in his glove after traveling between his legs before tossing it to Alec Burleson for the final out of the inning. The big highlight of the game was Jordan Walker as he worked a 2-1 count in his favor against Walker Buehler before he launched a ball off of the upper deck railing of the Western Metal Supply Company building.

Suffice it to say that none of those fans at that level expected to get that close to a baseball today, but Jordan gave it a high launch angle 425 foot ride. The look on Walker Buehler’s face when he saw where the ball landed is priceless. Manager Oli Marmol turned to his bullpen in the 6th inning as Ryne Stanek was the first man up.