Schumaker-led Cards torment Reds
Source: Agencies |
August 11, 2010, Wednesday
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THE St Louis Cardinals, aided by a grand slam from Skip Schumaker, cut Cincinnati's lead in the National League Central division to one game after a lopsided win over the Reds on Monday.
Cardinals second baseman Schumaker belted the feat in a seven-run fourth inning that pushed St Louis to a 7-3 win over the team it has been battling with for top spot in the division.
Schumaker's drive to straight away center field was his first career grand slam and gave his team a victory in the opener of an important three-game stretch against Cincinnati.
"Every series is big but this is a little more important because it's against a first-place team," Schumaker told reporters.
"As (our manager) has been saying since spring training, we want to win series. Having (Chris Carpenter) on the mound we liked our chances."
St Louis starter Carpenter allowed two runs in the seventh after cruising through six scoreless innings to improve to 13-3 on the season while the Cardinals moved to 62-49.
The streaking Reds (64-49) had won four straight entering the night but rookie starter Mike Leake was rocked in the fourth, where he was chased from the game having allowed seven runs and nine hits.
St Louis slugger Albert Pujols went 2-for-4 with an RBI single that gave the Cardinals a 7-0 advantage.
Ramon Hernandez went 3-for-4 with a home run in the ninth for the Reds.
"These guys over there are in the situation they are for a good reason," Carpenter said. "It's definitely a challenge but every challenge is a good challenge."
In Milwaukee, the Arizona Diamondbacks scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to overcome the Brewers 7-4, in a game where both teams managed to incite a negative reaction from spectators. Before a pitch was thrown, dozens of people gathered outside Miller Park, chanting slogans and waving placards in protest against the state of Arizona's new immigration laws.
Inside the stadium, most of the jeers were reserved for the Brewers, as they lost a game they controlled for most of the night after looking destined to open the four-game series with a win.
After scoring four times in the first three innings to open a 4-2 advantage, the Brewers still led by a run in the top of the ninth when third basemen Mark Reynolds scored for Arizona to force extra innings.
Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew singled in the 10th to allow second baseman Kelly Johnson and Miguel Montero to reach home base then Reynolds scored again to give the Diamondbacks a three-run cushion.
Milwaukee's hopes of closing out the game were not aided by their normally reliable pitcher John Axford, who walked two batters in the ninth.
"We put ourselves in position to win the game and Ax came in a walked the first two batters. You can't do that," Brewers' manager Ken Macha said.
It was just the 16th win on the road this season for the Diamondbacks (44-69), who have one of the worst records in Major League Baseball and sit at the bottom of the National League West.
The Brewers (53-60) are third in the National League Central but nine games behind second-placed St Louis with little hope of making the playoffs despite an improved showing in the second half of the season.
"We had some opportunities early in the game," Macha added. "We had six guys on base in the first three innings and then at the end it looked like we were going to put on a bit of a rally there."
Cardinals second baseman Schumaker belted the feat in a seven-run fourth inning that pushed St Louis to a 7-3 win over the team it has been battling with for top spot in the division.
Schumaker's drive to straight away center field was his first career grand slam and gave his team a victory in the opener of an important three-game stretch against Cincinnati.
"Every series is big but this is a little more important because it's against a first-place team," Schumaker told reporters.
"As (our manager) has been saying since spring training, we want to win series. Having (Chris Carpenter) on the mound we liked our chances."
St Louis starter Carpenter allowed two runs in the seventh after cruising through six scoreless innings to improve to 13-3 on the season while the Cardinals moved to 62-49.
The streaking Reds (64-49) had won four straight entering the night but rookie starter Mike Leake was rocked in the fourth, where he was chased from the game having allowed seven runs and nine hits.
St Louis slugger Albert Pujols went 2-for-4 with an RBI single that gave the Cardinals a 7-0 advantage.
Ramon Hernandez went 3-for-4 with a home run in the ninth for the Reds.
"These guys over there are in the situation they are for a good reason," Carpenter said. "It's definitely a challenge but every challenge is a good challenge."
In Milwaukee, the Arizona Diamondbacks scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to overcome the Brewers 7-4, in a game where both teams managed to incite a negative reaction from spectators. Before a pitch was thrown, dozens of people gathered outside Miller Park, chanting slogans and waving placards in protest against the state of Arizona's new immigration laws.
Inside the stadium, most of the jeers were reserved for the Brewers, as they lost a game they controlled for most of the night after looking destined to open the four-game series with a win.
After scoring four times in the first three innings to open a 4-2 advantage, the Brewers still led by a run in the top of the ninth when third basemen Mark Reynolds scored for Arizona to force extra innings.
Arizona shortstop Stephen Drew singled in the 10th to allow second baseman Kelly Johnson and Miguel Montero to reach home base then Reynolds scored again to give the Diamondbacks a three-run cushion.
Milwaukee's hopes of closing out the game were not aided by their normally reliable pitcher John Axford, who walked two batters in the ninth.
"We put ourselves in position to win the game and Ax came in a walked the first two batters. You can't do that," Brewers' manager Ken Macha said.
It was just the 16th win on the road this season for the Diamondbacks (44-69), who have one of the worst records in Major League Baseball and sit at the bottom of the National League West.
The Brewers (53-60) are third in the National League Central but nine games behind second-placed St Louis with little hope of making the playoffs despite an improved showing in the second half of the season.
"We had some opportunities early in the game," Macha added. "We had six guys on base in the first three innings and then at the end it looked like we were going to put on a bit of a rally there."
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