|
 Shortstop Jhonny Peralta's two-run homer with two outs in the ninth
helped lift the Cardinals to a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the
Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.
"I could only hear when Jhonny got his chance," said Matheny, who
was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing balls and strikes. "That
was pretty exciting. ... I can't sit up here and watch it. I was
listening to the crowd and I could tell what's going on."
The victory salvaged a 2-2 series split for St. Louis (55-30) while
Chicago (46-38) saw a two-game winning streak snapped.
Peralta lined a 1-2 pitch off reliever Pedro Strop into the left
field basket for his 12th homer of the year and scored pinch runner
Pete Kozma.
Kozma took over on the base paths after second baseman Matt
Carpenter worked Strop for a two-out walk.
"I should have just attacked (Carpenter)," said Strop. "I had an
opportunity to get it done and I couldn't."
Strop missed the chance for his third save and instead fell to 1-4
with the loss as he walked one and gave up a homer in his lone
inning of work.
"It's baseball, it happens," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "We've
done it to other teams, they did it to us tonight. You fail to
execute a pitch and it's a homer. ... It really comes down to the
previous at-bat and not walking Carpenter and we're in a good
position to put the game away."
Cardinals right-handed reliever Miguel Socolovich (3-1) worked 2/3
of the eighth inning and picked up the win. Right-handed reliever
Trevor Rosenthal allowed one hit but no runs in the ninth for his
25th save.
Cardinal right-handed starter Michael Wacha worked through six
innings and ended with no decision. He's still the Cardinals'
winningest pitcher at 10-3.
The Cubs entered the ninth with a 5-4 lead thanks to catcher Miguel
Montero's bases-clearing double in the sixth.
Montero erased a 4-2 deficit with one swing when he lined a 3-2
pitch to deep right center to clear the bases.
Wacha faced bases loaded with one out, struck out shortstop Starlin
Castro for a second out and quickly got an 0-2 count on Montero.
But the Cubs catcher took three straight balls and fouled off
another pitch before his two-base hit scored center fielder Dexter
Fowler, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and right fielder Jorge Soler.
"It was a terrific start by Michael," Matheny said. "Michael was
very good and a couple of things kind of built up there. But he did
a nice job of almost getting himself out of it."
Following the scores, Matheny and catcher Yadier Molina were ejected
for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Pat Hoberg.
Wacha departed after the sixth. He gave up five runs on seven hits,
walked one and struck out six in six innings of work. He also was
2-for-3 at the plate.
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Cubs starter Jason Hammel departed after one inning with left
hamstring tightness, replaced by left-hander Clayton Richard, making
his this appearance of the season.
"It was sharp pain in the back of the knee. ... it was enough to
shut me down," said Hammel. "MRI tomorrow and we'll figure out
exactly what it is.
Hammel faced three batters and had one strikeout in his lone inning.
The Cardinals scored two runs in the second as first baseman Dan
Johnson had an RBI single in his St. Louis debut to drive in Molina.
Wacha then helped his cause with a two-out base hit that scored left
fielder Randal Grichuk.
Third baseman Mark Reynolds led off the fourth with a triple to
right center and Grichuk followed with one to virtually the same
spot on a 1-2 count to drive in Reynolds for a 3-0 lead. Johnson
then dribbled a single into center to bring home Grichuk to make it
4-0.
Wacha then singled to right for the fourth straight hit with none
out, but Richard got three of the next four batters to ground out,
including Carpenter's fielder's choice to first that resulted into a
throw to the plate to tag Johnson.
The Cubs replied with two runs in bottom of the inning when Rizzo
singled and scored on third baseman Kris Bryant's triple to right
center with none out. With one out, Castro beat out an infield
single to bring home Bryant.
Richard was replaced by left-hander Travis Wood to open the fifth
inning. Richard allowed four runs on seven hits, walked three and
struck out one.
NOTES: The Cardinals called up 1B Dan Johnson from Triple-A Memphis,
where he was hitting .265 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs in 61 games.
LHP Tyler Lyons and RHP Marcus Hatley were optioned to Memphis.
Lyons served as 26th man for Tuesday's doubleheader against the
Cubs. ... St. Louis sends RHP Carlos Martinez (9-3, 2.70 ERA)
against Pirates LHP Jeff Locke (5-4, 4.15) in Thursday's opener of a
four-game series at Pittsburgh. ... 2B Anthony Rizzo and 3B Kris
Bryant will represent the Cubs in the Home Run Derby next week, part
of All-Star Game festivities in Cincinnati. Both are also on the
National League All-Star team. ... The Cubs have Thursday off before
opening a three-game interleague series at Wrigley Field against the
Chicago White Sox. Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-4, 3.82) will oppose
White Sox LHP Carlos Rodon (3-2, 4.18).
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