Cardinals' Austin Gomber: Hit hard in lopsided loss

Gomber allowed five earned runs on six hits and two walks over 2.1 innings in a 9-1 Grapefruit League loss to the Mets on Sunday. He also recorded a strikeout.

The young left-hander endured a rough first spring start, giving up another pair of home runs to bring his total allowed to five over his first three appearances. Gomber is considered a candidate for either the starting rotation or bullpen, but in throwing just 33 of 63 pitches for strikes Sunday, he saw his ERA and WHIP rise to 10.29 and 2.00, respectively, over seven spring frames. The 25-year-old was solid last season during his initial big-league cup of coffee, recording five total wins in August alone and finishing with a 6-2 mark across 29 appearances (11 starts). Clark Spencer of MLB.com reports that manager Mike Shildt did not provide any indication of whether Gomber would get another starting opportunity during what remains of spring, but the young southpaw feels that most of his struggles stem from self-inflicted pressure. "I think coming into camp this year, I probably put a little bit too much pressure on myself to try to make the team," Gomber said. "When you're coming as a young guy, it's kind of a pressure-free environment. This is the first time I've ever come to Spring Training with a chance to make the team. I think I fell into a little bit of that trap."