Arenado rips 2 hits against former club

CARDINALS 5, ROCKIES 0

ST. LOUIS — Nolan Arenado showed the Colorado Rockies some of what they’ve been missing.

Arenado doubled in his first at-bat against his former team and went 2 for 4 Friday night as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Colorado Rockies 5-0.

“Kind of weird,” he said before the game. “Anxiousness, a little bit, I guess in a way. But it will be cool to see some of the guys that I’m really close with and stuff like that. There’s some guys I definitely miss as people.”

Jack Flaherty hit his first career home run and became the major league’s first six-game winner.

Arenado, a five-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner during with seasons in Colorado, was traded to the Cardinals on Feb. 1 for five players, including pitcher Austin Gomber.

Arenado doubled off

Gomber (2-4) in the second, then struck out and grounded out. Arenado added a single against Lucas Gilbreath in the eighth.

He had looked at the schedule more for when the Cardinals go to Colorado from July 1-4 than toward this series.

“I want them to do well,” he said. “Hopefully not this series.”

Colorado dealt Arenado after he feuded with the front office, which failed to build a strong team around him.

“I guess my only regret would probably be that I let it get to the media,” Arenado said. “I have no regrets beside that.”

Rockies General Manager Jeff Bridich was forced out in late April.

While Arenado keeps track of his cousin, Josh Fuentes, and texts Trevor Story, Arenado admitted “I don’t even know what they’re record is.”

Part of the difficulty in keeping up is being in a different time zone.

“I haven’t really been looking at it as serious as I thought I would. I though I’d be paying

attention to it a lot,” Arenado said. “I really haven’t. Just kind of keep up with certain guys.”

Flaherty (6-0) gave up 3 hits in 7 innings, struck out 6 and walked 1, retiring his final 13 batters. He lowered his ERA to 2.83.

Trevor Story walked with two outs in the third, Colorado’s last runner until Raimel Tapia singled starting the ninth.

Colorado briefly had the bases loaded in the first after Garrett Hampson singled just beyond the infield in left. But Charlie Blackmon rounded second and couldn’t get back in time, and shortstop Paul DeJong threw behind him for the third out.

“It’s nice,” Cardinals Manager Mike Shildt said. “Guys came off the field feeling good about it. Heads-up play by Pauly. That’s how the guys play. They’re looking to make plays all of the time.”

Flaherty homered in the third inning against Gomber in his 117th big league at-bat.

Harrison Bader hit a goahead, two-run home run in the third for the Cardinals, who have won seven of nine. Colorado had a two-game winning streak stopped and has lost seven of nine.