Cardinals Open the Season at Wrigley Field
Tuesday, April 9, 1991, Wrigley Field
Attendance: 31,622,
Umpires: HP – Paul Runge, 1B – Eric Gregg, 2B – Joe West, 3B – Mike Winters.
Attendance: 31,622.
Field Condition: Unknown.
Start Time Weather: 45° F, Wind 7mph out to Leftfield, Cloudy, No Precipitation.
Manager Joe Torre of the Cardinals presents a starting lineup of:
- Rex Hudler
- Ozzie Smith
- Bernard Gilkey
- Pedro Guerrero
- Felix Jose
- Todd Zeile
- Tom Pagnozzi
- Jose Oquendo
- Bryn Smith
Don Zimmer, Cubs manager names his starting line-up:
- Jerome Walton
- Ryne Sandberg
- Mark Grace
- George Bell
- Andre Dawson
- Damon Berryhill
- Shawon Dunston
- Gary Scott
- Danny Jackson
The Game
Neither team scores in the first four innings against the starters but each team manages a tally in their half of the 5th inning. The Cardinals manage one run s Pagnozzi walks, Oquendo doubles, Bryn Smith is given an intentional pass, Hudler lines out and Ozzie Smith coaxes a walk to score a run. Lots of smoke but not much fire as the Cardianls lead 1-0. The Cubs march back on a long home run off the bat of Shawon Dunston as the lead-off hitter in the inning.
The Cardinals chase starter Danny Jackson in the 8th inning as they put together 3 hits and 3 runs, with the big blow being a double by Felix Jose and now lead 4-1. The Cardinals bring in Mike Perez in the 8th inning and he shuts the Cubs down and Lee Smith enter in the 9th and he gets the Cubs out without scoring to end the game. Cardinals win the Opener 4-1.
Cubs Stats
2B: D Berryhill (1, off B Smith); A Dawson (1, off L Smith).
HR: S Dunston (1, off B Smith, 5th inn, 0 on, 0 outs to Deep LF-CF).
SH: M Grace (1, off B Smith); S Dunston (1, off B Smith).
HBP: J Walton (1, by B Smith).
TB: S Dunston 4; A Dawson 2; D Berryhill 2; R Sandberg; M Grace.
RBI: S Dunston (1).
Team LOB: 6.
With RISP: 0 for 7.
Cardinals Stats
2B: J Oquendo (1, off D Jackson); F Jose 2 (2, 2 off D Jackson).
SH: B Smith (1, off D Jackson).
IBB: R Hudler (1, by D Jackson); J Oquendo (1, by D Jackson).
TB: F Jose 4; J Oquendo 2; R Hudler; T Pagnozzi; C Wilson; P Guerrero; B Gilkey.
RBI: C Wilson (1); B Gilkey (1); R Hudler (1); J Oquendo (1).
2-out RBI: B Gilkey.
Team LOB: 10.
With RISP: 3 for 13.
Baserunning
CS: R Hudler (1, 2nd base by L Lancaster/D Berryhill).
Time of Game: 2:25.
After Opening Day
The Cardinals rebounded from a rare last-place finish a year earlier to register a record of 84-78 during the season and finished 2nd to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League East division by fourteen games.
Ozzie Smith set the National League record for fewest errors in a season by a shortstop with 8 errors. Gold Gloves were awarded to catcher Tom Pagnozzi and shortstop Ozzie Smith this year.
June 3, 1991: John Mabry was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 6th round of the 1991 amateur draft. Player signed June 11, 1991.