Matthew Tkachuk of the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had the honor of simultaneously throwing out the ceremonial first pitches on Sunday, August 18, 2024, before the LA Dodgers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2.
On Friday night, Jackie Joyner-Kersee brought a little more luck to Busch Stadium when she threw out the ceremonial first pitch as the Cardinals beat the Dodgers 5-2.
JJK, an American track and field icon and philanthropist, is internationally known and loved in her hometown of East St. Louis and the entire region.
Tkachuk spent some of his teenage years here when his father, Keith Tkachuk, played for the St. Louis Blues. He met and became friends with Tatum while attending Chaminade College Prep.
There is one outstanding St. Louis area native who has never thrown a “ceremonial” first pitch at Busch Stadium, and his athletic accomplishments here are often overlooked.
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams returned from the injured list two weeks ago and quickly returned to form as one of the game’s best closers.
After a four-month absence due to stress fractures in his back, Williams was expected to take on the task of defeating the same powerful Dodgers that frustrated the Cardinals last weekend.
Williams put the team out of action in the correct order in the ninth inning of their respective games on August 14 and 15 in Milwaukee.
On the first night, he defended his 5-4 lead by mowing down All-Stars Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman on just seven pitches. Ohtani flew to left, Betts struck out and Freeman landed on second base.
“I don’t know if there’s a better 1-2-3 in the league,” Williams said after the game. “It was definitely a good test. I passed it today. Maybe I’ll have to do it again tomorrow.”
The following afternoon, with the Brewers leading 6-4 in the ninth inning, Williams knocked out Andy Pages with a pop fly and struck out Betts and Ohtani.
Williams had to save the day again while defending a 2-1 lead in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, August 17.
Williams and the Brewers arrived in St. Louis on Tuesday for a three-game series and his impact was immediate.
After loading the bases with one out in the ninth inning, Williams struck out Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Gorman to secure the 3-2 victory.
After a standout career at Hazelwood West, Williams signed with the Brewers after turning down an opportunity to play for the University of Missouri.
His first serious injury came in 2017, when a torn ligament ended his season. He recovered and was named NL Rookie Relief Pitcher of the Year in 2019. He was named Relief Pitcher of the Year in 2020 and was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023.
Williams was an integral part of the Brewers’ bullpen that helped the team win the NL Central division in 2021. During the postgame celebration, an exuberant Williams punched a wall and broke his hand. Ouch.
He turns 30 on September 21st, right around the time when the Brewers could win the division, and I’m sure the young man will be more cautious about celebrating this year.
The Reid Summary
Milwaukee Brewers rookie pitcher Tobias Myers has helped his team dominate the National League Central, posting a record of 6-5 with an outstanding 2.81 ERA in 18 starts… Cincinnati Reds ace Hunter Greene allowed just one run in seven innings in a 4-1 win over the Cardinals on August 13. His breakthrough season is now in jeopardy after he was placed on the injured list due to elbow soreness. Greene, 25, is 9-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 24 starts this season and was an All-Star for the first time… Former Cardinal Marcell Ozuna is overshadowed in the race for the National League MVP title by Shohei Ohtani of the LA Dodgers, who hit 39 home runs after Sunday’s win over St. Louis and could finish the first MLB season with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. However, Ozuna’s .309 batting average and 93 RBIs were both league-best.
