By definition, a four-strikeout inning always comes with a bit of frustration for the pitcher—after all, one of those strikeouts requires a batter to reach base due to a dropped third strike or a similar mishap.
Still, for Cardinals left-hander, the frustration he may have felt after accomplishing that rare feat at Rate Field might be tempered by the notable company he now joins. He became the first pitcher to record a four-strikeout inning in MLB since Tyler Glasnow did it on July 7, 2023.
During the sixth inning of the Cardinals’ 5-4 victory over the White Sox in the opening game of a doubleheader, he struck out Lenyn Sosa, Austin Slater, Mike Tauchman, and Chase Meidroth. Despite surrendering a two-run homer to Michael A. Taylor in the same inning, the left-hander etched his name into team history—becoming only the second pitcher ever for St. Louis to notch four strikeouts in a single inning.
The only other Cardinals pitcher on record to accomplish the feat? Hall of Famer and franchise icon Bob Gibson, who did it back on June 7, 1966.
“When I heard that, I thought it was pretty cool,” Matz said. “Obviously, he’s one of the greatest to ever pitch in this uniform, so to share that accomplishment is special. … It’s a nice silver lining from an inning that kind of unraveled on me.”
Matz’s unusual inning began on what looked like a strong note. He struck out Sosa on three pitches, finishing the at-bat with a changeup in the dirt that Sosa chased. However, the pitch also got past catcher Iván Herrera, allowing Sosa to reach first on a wild pitch.
Matz bounced back quickly, striking out Slater in just four pitches by freezing him with a sinker over the heart of the plate. It seemed like Taylor was headed for the same result when Matz’s 1-2 sinker appeared to hit the outer edge of the zone. But home plate umpire Carlos Torres called it a ball, and Taylor launched the next pitch for a two-run homer.
Tauchman bore the brunt of Matz’s frustration following the questionable call, as the White Sox right fielder went down swinging on three pitches, all located at the top of the zone. Meidroth followed by chasing a fifth-pitch sinker up and away, giving Matz a rare and memorable finish to an inning that was as aggravating as it was historic.
Fortunately for Matz, his teammates came through with a late-game rally, scoring three runs to seal the first of two wins in the doubleheader.
“That was big,” Matz said. “The offense has been doing that all season—staying locked in and battling—and that’s a big reason why we’re in the position we are. … They’re always on the verge of breaking out.”
The Cardinals’ eighth-inning offensive outburst not only secured the win but also gave Matz a memorable personal milestone to look back on.
“When we’re all done playing, it’ll be a fun story to tell,” said Game 1 starter Erick Fedde. “It’s one of those cool things you can say—‘Yeah, I struck out four batters in a single inning.’ Doing that at the big-league level is pretty special.”