Cardinals' Liberatore exits vs. Royals with fatigue issues

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore left Thursday night’s game against Kansas City with fatigue issues, the team said.

The Cardinals did not elaborate on the specifics of the fatigue.

Liberatore left with no outs in the fifth inning after throwing 71 pitches. His final pitch was a 73.8-mph, ball four curveball to Royals center fielder Maikel Garcia, who eventually scored on a single by Salvador Perez, giving Kansas City a 7-5 lead.

Liberatore, the St. Louis starter in the nightcap of a day-night doubleheader, struggled in his second straight start. The 25-year-old left-hander allowed a season-high seven runs on eight hits in four-plus innings.

In his last outing, Liberatore allowed five runs, four earned, in five innings in an 11-1 loss to the Rangers.

Liberatore earned a starting role with the Cardinals out of spring training after spending the majority of last season working out of the bullpen. He has worked at least six innings in eight of his 12 starts and entered Thursday with a 2.42 ERA since April 13, which ranks seventh among National League starters.

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