Cardinals extend Lee's drought
Source: Agencies |
May 18, 2011, Wednesday
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THE St. Louis Cardinals welcomed manager Tony La Russa back to the dugout and extended the drought of Philadelphia's Cliff Lee with a 3-1 victory over the Phillies on Monday.
La Russa's return from an absence of six games because of a virus ended the Cardinals (23-19) three-game losing streak.
St. Louis starter Jake Westbrook pitched seven innings and allowed just one run to out-pitch Lee, who has not won a start since April 14 - a stretch of six games.
"It was a great performance by (Westbrook)," Cardinals teammate Nick Punto told reporters after aiding his pitcher with an RBI in the fourth inning. "When you're facing a guy like (Lee) you're just in there battling. It was nice to get a couple hits."
Ryan Theriot also hit a RBI single for the Cardinals in the fourth inning to give the home side a 2-1 lead, and Jon Jay added an RBI single in the seventh to end Lee's game.
Lee fell to just 2-4 on the season after walking six batters and allowing all three runs in 6 1/3 innings.
St. Louis, without injured third baseman David Freese, started first baseman Albert Pujols at third base for the first time since 2002.
"The whole thing centered on Albert," La Russa said. "Albert volunteered to play third. I wouldn't have really come forward unless we had a lot more reasons to do it."
Pujols enjoyed a comfortable night at third but it did not help him turn things around at the plate as he finished 0-for-4. The 31-year-old, a career .329 hitter, is averaging just .259 this season.
In New York, Florida pitcher Burke Badenhop got just his second career hit to drive in the winning run with two outs in the 11th inning, as Florida edged New York 2-1.
Badenhop (1-0) came to bat after escaping a two-on, two-out jam when he was pitching in the bottom of the tenth. With runners on first and second, Badenhop lined a single up the middle off Ryota Igarashi (2-1) for his first hit since 2008, and his second career RBI. Leo Nunez pitched the bottom half of the 11th for his 15th save, despite allowing a two-out triple to pitcher Jonathon Niese - pinch-hitting because the Mets were out of position players.
Elsewhere in National League action, it was: Rockies 7, Giants 4; Reds 7, Cubs 4; Braves 3, Astros 2; Brewers 2, Dodgers 1; Nationals 4, Pirates 2; and Padres 8, Diamondbacks 4.
In the American League, the Cleveland Indians piled on 10 runs in the fourth inning on their way to a 19-1 rout of the Kansas City Royals.
Double
Michael Brantley's three-run homer and Travis Hafner's bases-loaded double keyed the huge inning.
Brantley and Matt LaPorta each had four RBIs as the Indians racked up their biggest score for two years. LaPorta reached base five times with a walk and four hits.
In St. Petersburg, Sam Fuld and B.J. Upton hit two-run homers as Tampa Bay handed the New York Yankees its sixth consecutive loss with a 6-5 win. It's the first time in four years the Yankees have lost this many consecutive games.
Also, it was: Blue Jays 4, Tigers 2; Athletics 5, Angels 0, 10 innings; Red Sox 8, Orioles 7; Rangers 4, White Sox 0; and Mariners 5, Twins 2.
La Russa's return from an absence of six games because of a virus ended the Cardinals (23-19) three-game losing streak.
St. Louis starter Jake Westbrook pitched seven innings and allowed just one run to out-pitch Lee, who has not won a start since April 14 - a stretch of six games.
"It was a great performance by (Westbrook)," Cardinals teammate Nick Punto told reporters after aiding his pitcher with an RBI in the fourth inning. "When you're facing a guy like (Lee) you're just in there battling. It was nice to get a couple hits."
Ryan Theriot also hit a RBI single for the Cardinals in the fourth inning to give the home side a 2-1 lead, and Jon Jay added an RBI single in the seventh to end Lee's game.
Lee fell to just 2-4 on the season after walking six batters and allowing all three runs in 6 1/3 innings.
St. Louis, without injured third baseman David Freese, started first baseman Albert Pujols at third base for the first time since 2002.
"The whole thing centered on Albert," La Russa said. "Albert volunteered to play third. I wouldn't have really come forward unless we had a lot more reasons to do it."
Pujols enjoyed a comfortable night at third but it did not help him turn things around at the plate as he finished 0-for-4. The 31-year-old, a career .329 hitter, is averaging just .259 this season.
In New York, Florida pitcher Burke Badenhop got just his second career hit to drive in the winning run with two outs in the 11th inning, as Florida edged New York 2-1.
Badenhop (1-0) came to bat after escaping a two-on, two-out jam when he was pitching in the bottom of the tenth. With runners on first and second, Badenhop lined a single up the middle off Ryota Igarashi (2-1) for his first hit since 2008, and his second career RBI. Leo Nunez pitched the bottom half of the 11th for his 15th save, despite allowing a two-out triple to pitcher Jonathon Niese - pinch-hitting because the Mets were out of position players.
Elsewhere in National League action, it was: Rockies 7, Giants 4; Reds 7, Cubs 4; Braves 3, Astros 2; Brewers 2, Dodgers 1; Nationals 4, Pirates 2; and Padres 8, Diamondbacks 4.
In the American League, the Cleveland Indians piled on 10 runs in the fourth inning on their way to a 19-1 rout of the Kansas City Royals.
Double
Michael Brantley's three-run homer and Travis Hafner's bases-loaded double keyed the huge inning.
Brantley and Matt LaPorta each had four RBIs as the Indians racked up their biggest score for two years. LaPorta reached base five times with a walk and four hits.
In St. Petersburg, Sam Fuld and B.J. Upton hit two-run homers as Tampa Bay handed the New York Yankees its sixth consecutive loss with a 6-5 win. It's the first time in four years the Yankees have lost this many consecutive games.
Also, it was: Blue Jays 4, Tigers 2; Athletics 5, Angels 0, 10 innings; Red Sox 8, Orioles 7; Rangers 4, White Sox 0; and Mariners 5, Twins 2.
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