|
 Right fielder Shane Robinson gunned down Amarista, representing
the tying run, for the second out of the top of the ninth inning
Thursday night to help the Cardinals hang on for a 4-3 win at
sold-out Busch Stadium.
St. Louis (64-56) stayed two games behind Milwaukee for first place
in the National League Central while leapfrogging Pittsburgh for
second place in the division as well as the first wild-card spot.
The Padres (57-63) lost for just the fourth time in 15 games and saw
their five-game winning streak end.
San Diego pinch-hitter Jake Goebbert started the dramatic sequence
with a bases-loaded single, scoring catcher Yasmani Grandal.
Amarista got to third when Robinson fielded the ball but was waved
home by third base coach Glenn Hoffman.
Robinson unleashed a one-hop throw to catcher A.J. Pierzynski, who
reached to his left and swiped at Amarista. Plate umpire Bob
Davidson pointed at Amarista to indicate a tag but didn't make the
out signal until Amarista had dived back in to touch the plate ahead
of Pierzynski.
Padres manager Bud Black came out to ask for a review. After four
minutes and nine seconds, umpires in New York City upheld Davidson's
call and Black was promptly tossed by second base umpire Bill Welke.
"You saw their catcher go back and try to tag our runner because he
knew he missed him," Black said. "So you saw two experienced major
league players react to a play that they both knew there wasn't a
tag."
Pierzynski offered an opposing viewpoint.
"I couldn't hear Bob because it was so loud," he said, "so when I
saw him dive back for the plate, I tried to tag him. You don't want
to become an umpire at that point. I saw the replay (on the
scoreboard) and I thought I tagged him on the arm."
Still, San Diego had an out left and runners at first and second.
Center fielder Will Venable took a four-pitch walk to refill the
bases, but closer Trevor Rosenthal fanned first baseman Tommy Medica
with a 99 mph fastball for his 36th save, tying him for the MLB lead
with Kansas City's Greg Holland and Milwaukee's Francisco Rodriguez.
Almost forgotten in the wild ending was the Cardinals' winning
rally, which also included a hint of controversy.
With the bases loaded and none out in the eighth inning,
pinch-hitter Jon Jay lashed a two-run double off the center field
wall on Nick Vincent's first pitch to snap a 2-2 tie, plating
pinch-runner Kolten Wong and pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso.
Wong replaced catcher Tony Cruz, who started the outburst with a
single. That came one pitch after Cruz appeared to swing through a
3-2 pitch from reliever Alex Torres (1-1). But first base umpire
John Tumpane overruled Davidson's foul-tip call, saying the ball hit
the dirt before Grandal caught it.
[to top of second column]
|
"I heard the ball hit the dirt," Cruz said.
"I didn't feel the ball bounce," Grandal said.
Reliever Seth Maness (4-2) worked a clean eighth inning to pick up the
win for St. Louis, which took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when
shortstop Jhonny Peralta cracked a two-run homer, his 16th home run of
the year.
The Padres tied it in the sixth inning with two runs. A fielder's choice
grounder by second baseman Jedd Gyorko made it 2-1 and a two-out infield
hit by rookie right fielder Rymer Liriano evened the score.
Both starters were no-decisioned after pitching seven strong innings.
San Diego's Eric Stults allowed just four hits and two runs, walking one
and striking out one. St. Louis' John Lackey permitted five hits and two
runs with three walks and five strikeouts.
With music playing in the winning locker room, Robinson reflected on the
crazy finish.
"I watched the replay and it looked like (Pierzynski) clipped (Amarista)
on the arm," Robinson said. "But you just don't know. They slow it down
so much and have better angles. You never know what the outcome will
be."
NOTES: San Diego placed 1B Yonder Alonso (strained right forearm) on the
15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 13, and recalled INF Jace
Peterson from Triple-A El Paso. Alonso, who had raised his average to
.240, could be lost for the remainder of the season. ... St. Louis LF
Matt Holliday (knee) was back in the lineup and batting third, one night
after leaving early at Miami. ... Cardinals C Yadier Molina (torn thumb
ligament) played catch in the outfield and caught a bullpen session
before the game. Molina, who was injured July 9, has made good progress
after surgery last month and could return by early to mid-September.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
