Pinch-hitter Barajas helps Phillies outlast Cardinals
Posted: Wed Sep 19 2:09 AM
St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Pinch-hitter Rod Barajas knocked in the go- ahead run in the 14th inning as the Philadelphia Phillies outlasted the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-4, in the middle game of a three-game set at Busch Stadium.
Chase Utley began the 14th with a single through the right side, and moved up on Michael Bourn's sacrifice bunt. After Mike Maroth struck out Ryan Howard and intentionally walked Aaron Rowand, Barajas lined a fastball back through the middle to score Utley. One batter later, Jayson Werth banged a triple down the right field line to provide a pair of insurance runs.
Clay Condrey tossed a perfect bottom half of the 14th to close things out for Jose Mesa (1-2), who went two scoreless innings to record the win.
Werth finished 2-for-6 with two triples and three RBI, and Utley had a pair of hits for the Phils, who moved to within 1 1/2 games of New York in the NL East following the Mets' 9-8 loss at Washington. Philadelphia also remains 1 1/2 back of San Diego in the wild card race after the Padres won their fifth in a row.
Cole Hamels started for the first time in a month, but was on a strict pitch count and lasted just three innings. The lefty allowed three earned runs on five hits, striking out two and walking one, and received a no-decision.
One night after nearly blowing an 11-run lead, the Phillies bullpen was stingy, yielding just one run over 11 innings. J.D. Durbin, Geoff Geary, J.C. Romero and Tom Gordon bridged the gap between Hamels and closer Brett Myers, who blew his third save of the season by allowing a run in the 10th. Mesa and Condrey then pitched three scoreless extra innings.
Todd Wellemeyer started for St. Louis, but made it just two innings, allowing one earned run on one hit, while walking three and striking out a pair. St. Louis used ten different relievers, who combined to surrender six runs on seven hits over 12 frames.
Maroth (0-5) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on two hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. Miguel Cairo was 3-for-6 for the Cardinals, who have now lost 12 of their last 13 games.
The 11 total pitchers established a new NL record. The 28 total players used by St. Louis also tied a National League mark.
Wellemeyer labored through the first, throwing 37 pitches. Utley hit a one-out line drive to right that skipped past a diving Skip Schumaker, resulting in a double. After a Pat Burrell groundout, Wellemeyer issued three straight walks to Howard, Rowand, and Greg Dobbs, forcing in Utley. He escaped the bases- loaded jam by striking out Werth.
St. Louis took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second, as Scott Spiezio singled and Rick Ankiel doubled to start the frame. Yadier Molina and Schumaker hit back-to-back groundouts to second to score the runners.
The Cardinals added another run in the third on consecutive singles by So Taguchi, Aaron Miles and Cairo.
Philadelphia tied it in the sixth, as Dobbs worked a one-out walk and came home on Werth's triple to center. Carlos Ruiz then scored Werth with a sacrifice fly to shallow right off newly inserted pitcher Russ Springer, as Ryan Ludwick - also just in the game in right thanks to a double-switch - sailed his throw to the plate wide.
The bullpens matched scoreless frames from the seventh through the eighth, sending the game into extra innings.
In the top of the 10th, Burrell grounded a one-out infield single off Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen, and was removed for pinch-runner Bourn. With Howard hitting, Bourn moved up on a passed ball, and the Cardinals opted to put Howard on with first base open, despite a 2-2 count. Rowand then walked on four pitches, loading the bases for Dobbs.
Dobbs grounded sharply to second and Miles came home to force Bourn, but his throw short-hopped catcher Kelly Stinnett, and the Phils had a 4-3 lead with the bases still loaded and one out. But Isringhausen fanned Werth and got Ruiz to line to right to end the inning, minimizing the damage.
The stranded runners proved costly for Philly when the Cards answered with a run in the bottom half. Myers recorded the first out, but then allowed back- to-back singles to Miles and Cairo, giving St. Louis runners at the corners with one out. Spiezio's sac fly scored Miles before Myers retired Ankiel to send the game to the 11th.
Philadelphia had baserunners in the 11th and the 13th and couldn't capitalize, but got another opportunity in the 14th thanks to the bullpen's work. Game Notes
The two teams combined to use 53 players - tying another National League record - including 19 total pitchers... The game lasted just over five hours...Condrey earned his first career save, and became the ninth Phillies pitcher to record a save this season, breaking a club record...Cardinals pitcher Mark Mulder had an MRI and nerve conduction study on his left shoulder Tuesday, the results of which will be available Wednesday...Albert Pujols was a pre-game scratch with a strained calf, but pinch-hit in the 13th and was walked...The Phillies have won six straight extra-inning games and are now 7-1 at the new Busch Stadium.
