|
 Aramis Ramirez had three hits and two RBIs for the Cubs, who have lost eight of nine while scoring three runs or fewer six times. The Cubs came in with a 4 1/2-game lead on the Brewers in the AL Central.The Cardinals started the night 4 1/2 games behind Milwaukee in the wild-card race.
Ryan Theriot, a late addition to the Cubs' lineup after reporting Tuesday with lingering effects from dizziness and dehydration that forced him out of Sunday's game, had two hits to begin rallies in the first and third.
Yadier Molina singled off Carlos Marmol (2-4) to start the bottom of the ninth and was replaced by Ryan, who advanced on Marmol's first balk of the season, called when the pitcher came set before a fourth pickoff attempt. Felipe Lopez walked after fouling off four full-count pitches and the runners moved up on a sacrifice before Cesar Izturis' soft grounder to second gave Ryan just enough time to beat Mark DeRosa's relay to the plate.
Marmol had thrown 6 2-3 innings this season against the Cardinals without allowing an earned run, including the eighth Tuesday, before faltering.
Chris Perez (3-2) worked around Ron Villone's leadoff walk to Kosuke Fukudome in the ninth, erasing him on Alfonso Soriano's double-play ball and getting Theriot on a soft infield liner to second.
Pujols' 33rd homer was a three-run shot off Ryan Dempster that tied it in the sixth. Pujols, who has seven RBIs the last three games and 98 on the year, hammered a first-pitch fastball an estimated 404 feet over the wall in center. Skip Schumaker doubled to start the inning and Aaron Miles bunted for a hit to set up the rally.
The Cardinals missed a chance for more when Dempster struck out pinch hitter Adam Kennedy with runners on second and third to end the inning.
Dempster, who has allowed homers in his last two starts after going 69 2-3 innings without surrendering a long ball, recovered with a perfect seventh to end his outing. He struck out six, and walked two
-- both to Molina -- while allowing seven hits.
[to top of second column]
 |
The Cubs jumped on Kyle Lohse in the first for three straight one-out hits, including consecutive RBI doubles by Derrek Lee and Ramirez, for a 2-0 lead. Theriot singled to start that salvo, and he tripled and scored in the third on Ramirez' single to make it 3-0.
Lohse failed in his seventh attempt to match his career best of 14 victories for the Twins in 2003, leaving with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth. Rookie Jason Motte stranded them, striking out Dempster and getting Alfonso Soriano on a flyout to the warning track in right.
Lohse has four straight no-decisions and is 0-3 with a 4.01 ERA in seven starts overall since beating the Phillies on Aug. 1.
The Cubs jumped on Kyle Lohse in the first for three straight one-out hits, including consecutive RBI doubles by Derrek Lee and Ramirez, for a 2-0 lead. Theriot singled to start that salvo, and he tripled and scored in the third on Ramirez' single to make it 3-0.
Lohse failed in his seventh attempt to match his career best of 14 victories for the Twins in 2003, leaving with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth. Rookie Jason Motte stranded them, striking out Dempster and getting Alfonso Soriano on a flyout to the warning track in right.
Lohse has four straight no-decisions and is 0-3 with a 4.01 ERA in seven starts overall since beating the Phillies on Aug. 1.
[Associated Press; By R.B. FALLSTROM]
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
|
