O'Brien struck out the only batter he faced to earn the save in Tuesday's 9-8 win over the Giants.
JoJo Romero faced the minimum three batters in the ninth inning, leaving with two outs and Matt Chapman on second base after a double. O'Brien came in and struck out pinch hitter Wilmer Flores on five pitches to strand the tying runner. This was O'Brien's sixth save of the year, all of which have come since Ryan Helsley was traded to the Mets. For the season, O'Brien has added six holds while maintaining a 1.96 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 43:21 K:BB through 46 innings.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Notches save No. 5
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O'Brien picked up the save in Tuesday's 3-0 win against the Reds, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
With JoJo Romero handling the eighth against the bottom of Cincy's order, O'Brien was entrusted with a three-run lead in the ninth and made quick work of the Reds' 2-3-4 hitters, needing just nine pitches to lock down his fifth save of the year. It marked the right-hander's third save in his last five appearances. The 30-year-old sports a 2.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 41:20 K:BB across 43.1 innings this season.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Pulled from save opportunity
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O'Brien was charged with three runs and pulled from a save chance without recording an out in Saturday's loss to the Brewers.
The Cardinals turned to O'Brien with a three-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, and he allowed four straight batters to reach -- the first two via hit-by-pitch -- before being lifted. Kyle Leahy then came on and allowed one of two inherited runners to score, adding another run to O'Brien's ledger. The three earned runs charged to O'Brien match the number he had allowed over his previous 29 appearances combined. He should remain in the mix for saves for St. Louis down the stretch.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Secures fourth save
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O'Brien picked up the save in Sunday's 3-1 win at Milwaukee, allowing one walk and no hits over a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
The 30-year-old worked around a two-out walk to collect his second save of the month. O'Brien, who fired 10 of his 16 total pitches for strikes, got the ninth after JoJo Romero pitched a scoreless frame in the eighth against the heart of the Brewers lineup. Although Romero is likely to draw the majority of save opportunities, St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol has shown no hesitation in employing O'Brien when the situation arises. The righty reliever now sports a 2.13 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 40:20 K:BB in 42.1 total innings.
O'Brien earned the save in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Giants, allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth.
With JoJo Romero being deployed in the eighth inning, the Cardinals turned to O'Brien -- who was credited with the win Saturday -- to close things out in the ninth. O'Brien gave up a single to open the inning, but he got out of the frame unscathed after getting Patrick Bailey to ground into a double play. O'Brien has not yielded a run in nine of his last 10 outings and sports a 1.60 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 39.1 innings this season.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Picks up win in return appearance
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O'Brien (3-0) struck out one in a scoreless frame and was credited with a win in Saturday's victory over the Giants.
O'Brien missed more than a week of action with right shoulder discomfort, but he showed no ill effects Saturday, displaying his normal velocity and needing only eight pitches to retire the Giants in order in the top of the ninth. The reliever picked up his third win of the season after the Cardinals rallied for three runs to walk it off in the bottom of the frame. As long as he stays healthy, O'Brien will remain in the late-inning mix for St. Louis.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Could be available this weekend
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The Cardinals are hopeful O'Brien (shoulder) will be available to pitch Friday against the Giants, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
O'Brien hasn't pitched in a week due to lingering right shoulder soreness, but he played catch earlier this week and could be cleared for game action after the team's off day Thursday. The 30-year-old collected two saves and three holds in August and boasts a 1.69 ERA and 35:17 K:BB over 37.1 innings this season.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Plays catch, could avoid IL
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O'Brien (shoulder) was cleared to play catch Monday and could avoid the 15-day injured list, Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
O'Brien underwent an MRI on Monday due to lingering right shoulder discomfort, but the Cardinals were encouraged by the imaging results and the reliever was allowed to resume throwing. While a stint on the IL has not been ruled out, O'Brien will be given a couple days to continue to recover to see if a long-term absence can be avoided. The 30-year-old has emerged as a late-inning bullpen arm for St. Louis this season, collecting a 1.69 ERA and 35:17 K:BB over 37.1 innings while notching two saves.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Shut down from throwing
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O'Brien will be shut down from throwing after undergoing an MRI on his sore right shoulder Monday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The Cardinals have yet to provide word on the results of the MRI, but a move to the 15-day injured list for O'Brien feels inevitable. O'Brien has been used as a high-leverage reliever for the Cardinals over the last couple months and picked up a pair of saves in August, but now his health status is murky. JoJo Romero is the favorite to close games for the Cardinals in September, with Kyle Leahy also in the mix.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Could require IL stint
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O'Brien has dealt with fatigue in his right shoulder area in recent days and is set to be examined by a doctor Monday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
According to Goold, the Cardinals are weighing whether to place O'Brien on the injured list, and the results of his upcoming exam will likely be vital in that decision. With the active roster expanding to 28 players Monday, the Cardinals are likely to call up at least one pitcher from the minors, and the team could bring another relief arm aboard if O'Brien heads to the IL in a corresponding move. Since the beginning of June, O'Brien has performed as one of the Cardinals' top relievers, logging two wins, two saves and five holds while pitching to a 1.04 ERA and 1.07 WHIP over 34.2 innings.
O'Brien (2-0) blew a save but earned the victory over the Pirates on Monday, allowing one run on one hit and striking out one batter over 1.2 innings.
O'Brien entered with one out in the eighth inning after JoJo Romero allowed a pair of runners to reach base. O'Brien escaped the jam by inducing an inning-ending double play, and he returned for the ninth to try to finish off the save. However, the right-hander was unable to do so, giving up an RBI double after hitting a batter with a pitch. O'Brien did manage to limit the damage to that one run, and he was credited with the victory when Alec Burleson crushed a walk-off homer in the bottom of the frame. Despite the blown save, it's notable that O'Brien cleaned up Romero's small mess, as the pair has been working as co-closers since Ryan Helsley was dealt to the Mets at the trade deadline.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Shuts door on Marlins
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O'Brien earned the save in a 7-4 win over the Marlins on Tuesday. He did not allow a hit but walked two and also struck out two in a scoreless inning.
O'Brien was called upon for the save chance after JoJo Romero pitched against the heart of the Miami order in the eighth. Things did not begin well for O'Brien, who walked consecutive batters to open up the inning, but he rebounded with back-to-back strikeouts before getting a groundout to end the game. O'Brien now has two saves to Romero's three since the departure of Ryan Helsley at the deadline. O'Brien has found his footing this season, posting a 1.56 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 34:17 K:BB in 34.2 innings.
O'Brien earned the save in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Dodgers, issuing one walk with no hits or strikeouts over 1.1 scoreless innings.
After Freddie Freeman singled with two outs in the eighth inning, O'Brien was called upon to set down Teoscar Hernandez to end the frame. The right-hander would come back out for the ninth, and he worked around a two-out walk to earn his first major-league save. After allowing 10 earned runs in eight innings last season, O'Brien has emerged as one of the Cardinals' top bullpen options this year, posting a 1.84 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP and 29:14 K:BB across 29.1 innings. O'Brien could be in line for additional save chances down the stretch following the departures of Ryan Helsley and Phil Maton at the trade deadline, although JoJo Romero has looked like the preferred choice at closer so far for manager Oliver Marmol.
Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Excelling out of St. Louis bullpen
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O'Brien has permitted just one run and boasts a 20:8 K:BB over 16 innings covering his last 12 appearances.
O'Brien has had trouble staying healthy and producing at the major-league level, but the stuff has always been there and he seems to finally be finding his footing. The 30-year-old netted his second hold of the season in Sunday's win over Atlanta and could continue to be elevated in the Cardinals' bullpen hierarchy.
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Cardinals' Riley O'Brien: Back with big club
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The Cardinals recalled O'Brien from Triple-A Memphis on Monday.
O'Brien was sent down to Triple-A on Saturday but is back with the Cardinals ahead of their series opener against Toronto. O'Brien boasts a 6.23 ERA and 3:2 K:BB across 4.1 innings of work out of the St. Louis bullpen this season.
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