2002 St. Louis Cardinals season

The 2002 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 121st season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 111th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97–65 during the season and won the National League Central by 13 games over the Houston Astros. In the playoffs, the Cardinals defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3 games to 0 in the NLDS but lost to the San Francisco Giants 4 games to 1 in the NLCS.

Second baseman Fernando Viña, shortstop Édgar Rentería, third baseman Scott Rolen, and outfielder Jim Edmonds each won Gold Gloves this year.

On June 18, long-time broadcaster Jack Buck died at the age of 77, while four days later, pitcher Darryl Kile was found dead in a Chicago hotel room, at age 33.

Offseason December 11, 2001: Signed free agent pitcher Jason Isringhausen.Jason Isringhausen at Baseball-Reference

Regular season

Season standings

National League Central

Record vs. opponents

Game log

|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || April 1 || Rockies || 10–2 || Morris || Hampton || || 48,397 || 1–0 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 2 || April 3 || Rockies || 3–6 || Neagle || Stephenson || Jiménez || 26,557 || 1–1 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 3 || April 4 || Rockies || 1–6 || Thomson || Benes || || 27,691 || 1–2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 4 || April 5 || @ Astros || 5–1 || Stechschulte || Mlicki || || 27,189 || 2–2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 5 || April 6 || @ Astros || 8–4 || Morris || Cruz || || 36,255 || 3–2 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 6 || April 7 || @ Astros || 6–7 || Stone || Hackman || || 28,206 || 3–3 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 7 || April 9 || Brewers || 6–5 || Veres || Cabrera || Isringhausen || 28,488 || 4–3 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 8 || April 10 || Brewers || 6–5 || Isringhausen || Vizcaino || || 28,271 || 5–3 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 9 || April 11 || Brewers || 6–5 || Veres || Cabrera || Kline || 28,165 || 6–3 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 10 || April 12 || Astros || 7–3 || Morris || Miller || || 34,120 || 7–3 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 11 || April 13 || Astros || 2–1 || Isringhausen || Stone || || 41,552 || 8–3 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 12 || April 14 || Astros || 4–5 || Reynolds || Stephenson || Wagner || 38,609 || 8–4 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 13 || April 15 || @ D'Backs || 5–14 || Helling || Benes || || 32,116 || 8–5 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 14 || April 16 || @ D'Backs || 3–5 || Johnson || B. Smith || Myers || 37,505 || 8–6 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 15 || April 17 || @ D'Backs || 8–4 || Morris || Schilling || Isringhausen || 35,147 || 9–6 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 16 || April 18 || @ Brewers || 5–7 || Cabrera || Hackman || DeJean || 17,717 || 9–7 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 17 || April 19 || @ Brewers || 1–6 || Quevedo || Timlin || Vizcaino || 23,865 || 9–8 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 18 || April 20 || @ Brewers || 3–5 || Vizcaino || Veres || DeJean || 30,600 || 9–9 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 19 || April 21 || @ Brewers || 3–5 || Neugebauer || B. Smith || DeJean || 24,592 || 9–10 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 20 || April 23 || @ Mets || 3–4 || D'Amico || Morris || Benitez || 33,333 || 9–11 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 21 || April 24 || @ Mets || 4–2 || Kile || Leiter || Isringhausen || 22,938 || 10–11 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 22 || April 25 || @ Mets || 6–7 || Strickland || Veres || Benitez || 24,637 || 10–12 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 23 || April 26 || @ Expos || 7–6 || Stechschulte || Ohka || Veres || 8,545 || 11–12 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 24 || April 27 || @ Expos || 5–0 || Matthews || Chen || || 6,288 || 12–12 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 25 || April 28 || @ Expos || 2–5 || Ohka || Morris || Herges || 9,780 || 12–13 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 26 || April 30 || Marlins || 2–7 || Burnett || Kile || || 32,636 || 12–14

|- bgcolor=#cfc | 27 || May 1 || Marlins || 6–4 || T. Smith || Dempster || Isringhausen ||29,755 || 13–14 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 28 || May 2 || Marlins || 6–9 || Tejera || Veres || Núñez || 36,132 || 13–15 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 29 || May 3 || Braves || 2–11 || Hammond || Stechschulte || Smoltz || 40,758 || 13–16 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 30 || May 4 || Braves || 3–2 || Simontacchi || Lopez || Isringhausen || 42,455 || 14–16 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 31 || May 5 || Braves || 2–4 || Maddux || Kile || Smoltz ||39,509 || 14–17 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 32 || May 6 || @ Cubs || 5–6 || Fassero || Timlin || || 35,083 || 14–18 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 33 || May 7 || @ Cubs || 0–8 || Wood || B. Smith || || 35,748 || 14–19 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 34 || May 8 || @ Cubs || 3–2 || Morris || Cruz || Isringhausen || 33,473 || 15–19 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 35 || May 10 || @ Reds || 4–2 || Stechschulte || White || Isringhausen || 29,008 || 16–19 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 36 || May 11 || @ Reds || 1–8 || Reitsma || Kile || || 25,006 || 16–20 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 37 || May 12 || @ Reds || 10–8 || Stechschulte|| Graves || Isringhausen || 20,622 || 17–20 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 38 ||May 13 || Cubs || 3–0 || Morris || Wood || || 45,720 || 18–20 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 39 || May 14 || Cubs || 11–2 || Timlin || Cruz || || 47,035 || 19–20 |- bgcolor=#cfc |40 || May 15 || Cubs || 4–1 || Stechschulte || Bere || Isringhausen || 40,719 || 20–20 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 41 || May 17 || Reds || 3–1 || Kile || Sullivan || Isringhausen|| 36,103 || 21–20 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 42 || May 18 || Reds || 3–7 || Rijo || Morris || || 40,483 || 21–21 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 43 || May 19 || Reds || 10–1 || Stephenson || Acevedo || || 42,992 || 22–21 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 44 || May 20 || Reds || 7–3 || Williams || Haynes || || 35,560 || 23–21 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 45 || May 21 || Astros || 3–1 || Simontacchi || Hernandez || Isringhausen || 33,442 || 24–21 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 46 || May 22 || Astros || 3–2 || Veres || Stone || || 32,481 || 25–21 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 47 || May 23 || Astros || 5–4 || Hackman || Dotel || Isringhausen || 38,772 || 26–21 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 48 || May 24 || @ Pirates || 2–5 || Wells || Stephenson || || 25,203 || 26–22 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 49 || May 25 || @ Pirates || 6–3 || Williams || Anderson || Isringhausen || 26,201 || 27–22 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 50 || May 26 || @ Pirates || 7–3 || Simontacchi || Fogg || || 31,989 || 28–22 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 51 || May 27 || @ Astros || 4–3 || Stechschulte || Oswalt || Isringhausen || 30,543 || 29–22 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 52 || May 28 || @ Astros || 4–1 || Morris || Reynolds || Isringhausen || 25,376 || 30–22 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 53 || May 29 || @ Astros || 5–10 || Redding || Stephenson || || 27,182 || 30–23 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 54 || May 31 || Pirates || 1–3 || Fogg || W. Williams || M. Williams || 38,148 || 30–24

|- bgcolor=#cfc | 55 || June 1 || Pirates || 9–4 || Kile || Arroyo || || 43,295 || 31–24 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 56 || June 2 || Pirates || 2–5 || Lowe || Morris || M. Williams || 37,243 || 31–25 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 57 || June 4 || @ Reds || 8–5 || Simontacchi || Hamilton || || 19,189 || 32–25 |- bgcolor=#bbb | || June 5 || @ Reds || colspan=6 |Postponed (Rain) Makeup date: August 27 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 58 || June 6 || @ Reds || 2–3 || Haynes || Williams || Graves || 23,102 || 32–26 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 59 || June 7 || @ Royals || 12–6|| Kile || Byrd || || 34,194 || 33–26 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 60 || June 8 || @ Royals || 11–3 || Morris || Affeldt || || 40,016 || 34–26 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 61 || June 9 || @ Royals || 2–3 || Ro. Hernandez || Timlin || || 26,905 || 34–27 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 62 || June 10 || @ Mariners || 0–10 || Moyer || B. Smith || || 45,699 || 34–28 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 63 || June 11 || @ Mariners || 7–4 || Williams || Baldwin || || 44,983 || 35–28 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 64 || June 12 || @ Mariners || 0–5 || Piñeiro || Kile || || 45,612 || 35–29 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 65 || June 14 || Royals || 3–0 || Morris || Asencio || Kline || 40,510 || 36–29 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 66 || June 15 || Royals || 5–3 || Simontacchi || Suppan || Veres || 47,453 || 37–29 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 67 || June 16 || Royals || 5–1 || Williams || May || || 47,522 || 38–29 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 68 || June 18 || Angels || 7–2 || Kile || Appier || || 39,386 || 39–29 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 69 || June 19 || Angels || 6–2 || Morris || Sele || || 35,432 || 40–29 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 70 || June 20 || Angels || 2–3 || Schoeneweis || B. Smith || Percival || 36,385 || 40–30 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 71 || June 21 || @ Cubs || 1–2 || Lieber || Williams || || 38,486 || 40–31 |- bgcolor=#bbb | || June 22 || @ Cubs || colspan=6 |Postponed (death of P Darryl Kile) Makeup date: August 31 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 72 || June 23 || @ Cubs || 3–8 || Wood || Simontacchi || || 37,647 || 40–32 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 73 || June 25 || Brewers || 0–2 || Rusch || Morris || || 33,074 || 40–33 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 74 || June 26 || Brewers || 5–2 || Williams || Wright || Isringhausen || 32,686 || 41–33 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 75 || June 27 || Brewers || 2–7 || Vizcaino || Stechschulte || || 31,136 || 41–34 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 76 || June 28 || Reds || 3–2 || Simontacchi || Reitsma || Isringhausen || 38,564 || 42–34 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 77 || June 29 || Reds || 2–4 || Dessens || Hackman || Graves || 46,272 || 42–35 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 78 || June 30 || Reds || 8–12 || Sullivan || Isringhausen || || 39,861 || 42–36

|- bgcolor=#cfc | 79 || July 1 || Padres || 7–3 || Williams || Pérez || || 30,113 || 43–36 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 80 || July 2 || Padres || 11–5 || Crudale || Jarvis || ||29,622 || 44–36 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 81 || July 3 || Padres || 4–1 ||Simontacchi || Lawrence || Isringhausen || 41,533 ||45–36 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 82 || July 4 || Dodgers || 3–2 || T. Smith || Ishii || Isringhausen || 39,421 || 46–36 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 83 || July 5 || Dodgers || 5–6 || Pérez || Morris || Gagné || 41,447 ||46–37 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 84 || July 6 || Dodgers || 2–4 || Quantrill || Kline || Gagné || 42,825 || 46–38 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 85 || July 7 || Dodgers || 12–6 || Matthews || Daal || || 33,777 || 47–38 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 86 || July 12 || @ Padres || 3–4 || Holtz || Veres || Hoffman || 23,794 || 47–39 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 87 || July 13 || @ Padres || 2–1 || Crudale || Reed || Isringhausen || 48,963 || 48–39 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 88 || July 14 || @ Padres || 4–1 || B. Smith || B. J. Jones || Isringhausen || 24,045 || 49–39 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 89 || July 15 || @ Dodgers || 4–2 || T. Smith || Daal || Isringhausen || 31,899 || 50–39 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 90 || July 16 || @ Dodgers || 9–2 || Hackman || Nomo || || 37,988 ||51–39 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 91 || July 17 || @ Giants || 4–5 || Worrell || Veres || Nen || 44,355 || 51–40 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 92 || July 18 || @ Giants || 5–1 || Morris || Schmidt || || 44,118 || 52–40 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 93 || July 19 || @ Pirates || 9–12 || Sauerbeck || Veres || || 23,812 || 52–41 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 94 || July 20 || @ Pirates || 6–15 || Benson || T. Smith || || 35,101 || 52–42 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 95 || July 21 || @ Pirates || 8–4 || Finley || Fogg || Kline || 27,999 || 53–42 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 96 || July 22 || @ Giants || 5–3 || Hackman || Worrell || Isringhausen || 40,607 || 54–42 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 97 || July 23 || @ Giants || 4–0 || Morris || Schmidt || || 40,453 || 55–42 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 98 || July 24 || @ Giants || 4–6 || Rueter || Benes || Nen || 41,005 || 55–43 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 99 || July 25 || @ Giants || 4–3 || T. Smith || Jensen || Isringhausen || 41,503|| 56–43 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 100 || July 26 || Cubs || 8–4 || Finley || Lieber || || 48,730 || 57–43 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 101 || July 27 || Cubs || 3–7 || Wood || Simontacchi || || 47,110 || 57–44 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 102 || July 28 || Cubs || 10–9 || Veres || Alfonseca || || 47,583 || 58–44 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 103 || July 30 || @ Marlins || 5–0 || Benes || Tejera || || 8,187 || 59–44 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 104 || July 31 || @ Marlins || 5–8 || Beckett || T. Smith || Looper || 7,587 || 59–45

|- bgcolor=#fbb | 105 || August 1 || @ Marlins || 0–4 || Burnett || Finley || || 7,346 || 59–46 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 106 || August 2 || @ Braves || 5–11 || Glavine || Simontacchi || || 45,512 || 59–47 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 107 || August 3 || @ Braves || 1–6 || Marquis || Morris || || 46,356 || 59–48 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 108 || August 4 || @ Braves || 1–2 || Smoltz || Veres || || 33,686 || 59–49 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 109 || August 6 || Expos || 1–10 || Yoshii || Finley || || 34,126 || 59–50 |- bgcolor=#fbb | 110 || August 7 || Expos || 1–4 || Ohka || Simontacchi || Stewart || 33,179 || 59–51 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 111 || August 8 || Expos || 5–3 || Morris || Reames || Isringhausen || 33,403 || 60–51