MLB NEWS
Cards Rally in 9th to Defeat Cubs 5-4
Published by MoonDog on July 5, 2008
The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs played a regular season game Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium in St. Louis that had everything baseball fans love.
Chicago jumped out to a 2-0 lead only to see the Cards’ tie it in the sixth inning.
Chicago regained the lead in the eighth behind a two-run homer from Aramis Ramirez.
Chicago’s closer, Kerry Wood, took the hill in the ninth looking for his 23rd save of the season.
It was not to be.
Rick Ankiel slapped a bases-loaded 1-1 pitch from Wood just past second baseman Mike Fontenot to drive in two runs as the Cardinals rallied to defeat the Cubs 5-4.
Wood walked the first two batters in the ninth when Adam Kennedy stepped to the plate. The Cards’ second baseman hit a double past the outstretched glove of Cubs’ first baseman Derek Lee to drive in Ludwick, cutting the lead to 4-3.
Pinch-hitter Chris Duncan was intentionally walked to load the bases when Skip Schumaker stepped to the plate. Schumaker slapped a chopper to third that Ramirez snared and threw home to nail the Cards’ lead runner.
With the bases still loaded and one out, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa opted to pinch-hit for SS Brendan Ryan, sending Aaron Miles to the dish. Miles had a 15-game hitting streak snapped Friday night in the Cardinals 2-1 loss to the Cubs.
Wood was too much for Miles, getting him to pop up just behind second base.
That set up Ankiel for his heroics.
Wood got a first pitch strike, then threw wide on his second pitch. Wood then threw a pitch that didn’t break far enough to the outside, hovering over the outer third of the plate. Ankiel put a good swing on it and the Cards’ were winners, sending the crowd of 46,865 home happy.
Both starting pitchers performed well, as Kyle Lohse (10-2, 3.61) continued his string of solid pitching, holding the Cubs to two runs in seven innings. Lohse allowed six hits, walked two and struck out six.
Cubs starter Ted Lilly (9-5, 4.47) was just as impressive, giving up two runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out five in six full innings of work.
The Cubs jumped to a 1-0 lead in the third on Mark DeRosa’s 11th home run. Ryan Theriot singled in DeRosa in the fifth to give Chicago a 2-0 lead.
St. Louis rallied to tie it in the sixth when Ankiel led off the inning with his 18th homer, tying Albert Pujols for the team lead in home runs.
Pujols followed Ankiel’s homer with a double into left-center. One out later, Ludwick hit a double down the left field line to score Pujols.
With the victory St. Louis moved to within 2.5 games of the NL Central leading Cubs. The series finale Sunday afternoon will see the Cards send Todd Wellemeyer (7-3, 3.86) to the mound against the Cubs’ Sean Marshall (0-2, 4.87).
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MFSKEN on Mon, 7th Jul 2008 14:55
CARDS LOSE 2 OF 3 GAME SERIES AND THE ONLY COMMENT YOU HAVE IS OF THE GAME THEY MANAGED TO WIN.
MUST BE FUN TO BE A CARDINAL FAN.
MoonDog on Mon, 7th Jul 2008 15:46
It’s sort of like me posting 259 articles to your 12.
It must be great being a contributor at MoonDogSports.com.