On Monday night, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0 behind a stellar outing on the mound from 18-year MLB veteran Adam Wainwright. It has been a rough season for the legendary starter, but he reached an all-important milestone on Monday, cementing his place in Cardinals lore.
Wainwright went seven innings, giving up four hits and two walks while fanning three. He would end the game with his 200th MLB win, joining a select club of all-time pitching greats as his winds down a Hall of Fame career.
At 42 years old, Wainwright became the oldest pitcher in Cardinals history to pitch seven-plus scoreless innings.
After the game, Wainwright got emotional as the St. Louis faithful showered him with cheers.
Wainwright has talked about the importance of this milestone and his desire to finish the season strong. He suffered a 10-game losing streak before stringing together two straight victories to accomplish this historic feat.
St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright earns 200th win vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Wainwright is expected to retire after the season, with only a couple more starts on the docket. He has been a steady presence in the Cardinals organization for almost two decades, winning over fans with his precision and mental fortitude. He's a grade-A competitor and a champion. He will be fondly remembered by fans inside and outside the organization.
His emotion after the game was pure — the culimination of 18 years of hard work.
It's perfect timing, too. Waino made his Cardinals debut to little fanfare in September of 2005. Now, all these years later, he is putting the finishing touches on a widely celebrated career.
The Cardinals' season has not gone to plan — nor has Wainwright's, for that matter — but this is a singular moment of joy the fanbase can luxuriate in for the next several months. It has been a long time coming, and now Wainwright joins a very exclusive club.
How many Cardinals pitchers have 200 career wins?
Wainwright joins Bob Gibson (1959-1975) and Jesse Haines (1920-37) as the only pitchers in St. Louis history to reach 200 wins. Gibson and Haines are both Cy Young winners and, critically, both are members of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Waino never won Cy Young, but his Hall of Fame case is strong with three All-Star appearances, two Gold Glove awards, and multiple Cy Young runner-up finishes.
All three pitchers spent at least 17 years in a Cardinals uniform.
