Leading after six frames has been money for both Cardinals and Marlins
Thanks to a dominant bullpen, the St. Louis Cardinals are among the best teams in the league when it comes to winning games they lead after six innings. Only one National League team has been better this year -- the Miami Marlins, the Cardinals' guest at Busch Stadium this weekend.
On the strength of a 10-run sixth inning Wednesday, the Marlins improved to 36-1 when leading after six frames this year -- the best mark in the majors. The Cardinals are fourth at 53-4.
BEST RECORD WHEN LEADING AT END OF SIXTH INNING IN 2015
| Team | Record (win percentage) |
| Miami Marlins |
36-1 (.973) |
| New York Yankees |
47-2 (.959) |
| Los Angeles Angels | 43-2 (.956) |
| St. Louis Cardinals |
53-4 (.930) |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 54-5 (.915) |
The Cardinals have dominated Miami since the Marlins' inaugural season of 1993. In fact, Cardinals-Marlins has been one of the most lopsided series in the league.
BEST RECORD VS. OPPONENT SINCE 1993 (NATIONAL LEAGUE)*
| Team | Opponent | Record (win percentage) |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Pittsburgh Pirates | 118-69 (.631) |
| Atlanta Braves | Colorado Rockies | 114-68 (.626) |
| Atlanta Braves | San Diego Padres | 109-67 (.619) |
| St. Louis Cardinals |
San Diego Padres | 104-70 (.598) |
| St. Louis Cardinals |
Miami Marlins | 101-68 (.598) |
| * Minimum 150 games |
The St. Louis pitching staff may bend, but not often does it break. For every run the Cardinals have allowed this season, their opponents have left over 2.50 men on base, the best rate of any team since 1914.
MOST OPPONENT LEFT ON BASE PER RUN ALLOWED SINCE 1914
| Team | Opponent left on base/run allowed |
| 2015 St. Louis Cardinals | 2.56 |
| 1917 Boston Red Sox | 2.38 |
| 1917 Chicago White Sox | 2.33 |
| 1968 St. Louis Cardinals |
2.32 |
| 1943 St. Louis Cardinals |
2.30 |
Jaime Garcia has been a big contributor to the St. Louis rotation when healthy. For the third time in his career, Garcia has posted an ERA below 2.00 through his first 10 starts, tied for the most such seasons by a left-hander in the last 101 years.
MOST SEASONS WITH SUB-2.00 ERA THROUGH 10 STARTS BY LEFTY SINCE 1914
| Pitcher | Number |
Seasons |
| Jaime Garcia | 3 | 2010, 2011, 2015 |
| Rick Honeycutt | 3 | 1983, 1984, 1986 |
| Tommy John |
3 | 1966, 1968, 1979 |
| Dutch Leonard | 3 | 1914, 1916, 1917 |
| Hal Newhouser | 3 | 1943, 1944, 1946 |
| Hippo Vaughn | 3 | 1918, 1919, 1920 |
HIGHEST SLUGGING PERCENTAGE, CARDINALS ROOKIES, ALL-TIME*
| Player | Year | Slugging percentage |
| George Watkins | 1930 | .621 |
| Albert Pujols | 2001 | .610 |
| Chris Duncan | 2006 | .589 |
| Johnny Mize |
1936 | .577 |
| Randal Grichuk | 2015 | .552 |
| * Minimum 300 plate appearances |