Two RBI doubles in 9th inning lift Cards over Brewers

[April 22, 2008]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Skip Schumaker doubled in the go-ahead run in the ninth and the St. Louis Cardinals overcame a fielding blunder in the eighth to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 on Monday night in the opener of a two-game set.

Brian Barton, who pinch hit for reliever Ryan Franklin, doubled off embattled Brewers reliever Derrick Turnbow (0-1) to start the inning and Schumaker drove him in with a double to the wall after a sacrifice bunt.

Turnbow, frustrated since he's no longer the setup man, has failed to inspire confidence for the Brewers, who lost for the 10th time in 13 games against the Cardinals.

Franklin (1-1) got the win despite giving up an unearned run by limiting the damage in the eighth, and Jason Isringhausen earned his seventh save in eight chances with a perfect ninth.

It appeared the Brewers had all the momentum before Franklin stopped them cold.

With St. Louis leading 3-2, Ryan Braun doubled to start the eighth inning and right fielder Ryan Ludwick charged hard on a fly ball from Corey Hart, but slipped and lost the ball in the lights.

It nearly hit him in the head, but instead bounced harmlessly behind him for a triple that left Hart shaking his head in disbelief at his RBI that tied it at 3 after he made an errant play himself in the top half of the inning.

But Franklin didn't allow Milwaukee to take the lead as Hart was caught in a rundown when he tried to score on contact off a chopper by Bill Hall and J.J. Hardy grounded out to end the inning.

In the top half of the eighth, St. Louis went ahead 3-2 as a result of Hart's gaffe in right field on Ludwick's fly ball that hit the webbing of Hart's glove to put Ludwick on third with no outs.

Reliever Brian Shouse walked Albert Pujols -- he had three of St. Louis' seven in the game -- and got Rick Ankiel to pop out, but reliever Guillermo Mota couldn't keep the Cardinals off the board after walking Troy Glaus despite having him down 0-2.

With the bases loaded, Adam Kennedy's sacrifice fly gave St. Louis a 3-2 lead.

Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright and Brewers starter Carlos Villanueva each pitched brilliantly over seven innings and each allowed two runs in the third inning. Wainwright, who retired 11 in a row at one point, has a career 2.02 ERA in 11 appearances against Milwaukee and struck out six while allowing four hits and four walks.

Villanueva retired 13 of 14 from the third through seventh innings, allowing three hits, walking four and striking out one.

[Associated Press; By COLIN FLY]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.