Cardinals blow game on brutal error as disastrous season continues

The St. Louis Cardinals’ brutal season might’ve just hit rock bottom.

Down by a run in the top of the ninth against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, the Cardinals pulled ahead on rookie Jordan Walker’s two-run shot.

But that excitement was short-lived and overshadowed by an ugly fielding gaffe from closer Jordan Hicks in the bottom half of the inning that cost the Cardinals in what became a 10-9 loss to the Marlins at loanDepot Park.

The Marlins put runners on first and second with one out before Joey Wendle came to bat.

Hicks went up on Wendle with a 1-2 count before unleashing a 101 mph fastball that the infielder lightly tapped in front of the mound.

Both Garrett Hampson and Yuli Guriel were running on the pitch, so Hicks’ only play to get the second out was at first.

But the closer double-clutched the ball in his glove before sailing it way over first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s head and into right field, allowing both runners to score and gifting the Marlins a walk-off win.

It was another stunning play in what’s been an uncharacteristically awful season for St. Louis, which lost 15-2 on Tuesday to the Marlins.

A year after winning the National League Central on the backs of Goldschmidt’s Most Valuable Player campaign, the Cardinals are now in the cellar of the division with a 35-51 record.

According to CBS Sports, the team is on pace to have its worst record since 1913 when it finished 51-99.

The team’s offense is eighth in baseball with a .754 OPS, but the team has struggled on the mound with the fifth-worst staters’ ERA at 4.96.

To add injury to insult, veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright — who has a 7.66 ERA in 11 starts this year — has landed on the injured list with shoulder inflammation.

Since 2000, the Cardinals have been under .500 just once when they finished 78-84 in 2007.