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 Just not the one everyone knows.
Unlikely hero Hector Gomez scored the tying run in the ninth as a
pinch-runner and blooped a tie-breaking two-out single to right in
the top of the 12th as the Brewers edged the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2
at Busch Stadium on Tuesday night.
It was the fifth win in six games for the Brewers (79-72), who
pulled within four games of the first-place Cardinals in the
National League Central and stayed 1 1/2 games behind the Pittsburgh
Pirates for the second NL wild card spot.
St. Louis (83-68) lost for just the sixth time in 26 home games,
dating back to Aug. 1. The Cardinals' division lead over Pittsburgh
dipped to 2 1/2 games.
"We deserved to win this one," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said.
"They hit bloops all the time against us. Now they hit the ball
hard, but they always seem to hit bloops against us. It's nice to
win one with a bloop."
Center fielder Carlos Gomez started the rally with a one-out walk
off Kevin Siegrist (1-4), then stole second. After pinch-hitter Mark
Reynolds lined out to left, Carlos Gomez swiped third on the first
pitch to Hector Gomez.
After taking a strike, Hector Gomez fisted an 0-2 fastball just over
the head of first baseman Matt Adams for his first major league RBI.
"As soon as I saw the ball, I thought it had a chance," Hector Gomez
said through an interpreter. "I thought, 'Oh, boy.'"
It was just the seventh big league at-bat for Hector Gomez, as well
as his second hit. It also capped an evening where late-season
acquisitions or call-ups drove in every run for the Brewers.
Left fielder Gerardo Parra homered in the fourth, his ninth of the
year. First baseman Matt Clark forced extra innings with his one-out
sacrifice fly in the ninth, denying St. Louis closer Trevor
Rosenthal his 45th save.
"They come here to help us," said Carlos Gomez. "We look at this
like a team. They are proving that they should be here."
Brandon Kintzler (3-3) got the last out of the 11th for the win, and
closer Francisco Rodriguez pitched a clean 12th for his 42nd save.
St. Louis starter Lance Lynn threw seven innings of one-run ball,
continuing his second half of outstanding pitching. He entered the
game with a 1.84 ERA since July 1, and he retired 10 of the last 11
men he faced. Lynn allowed five hits, walked one and fanned five.
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Brewers starter Wily Peralta permitted five hits and two runs in
seven innings. He walked one and struck out three.
St. Louis touched Peralta for its runs in the first. After
consecutive singles by third baseman Matt Carpenter, right fielder
Jon Jay and left fielder Matt Holliday, Peralta walked Matt Adams to
force home Carpenter.
But Wily Peralta did a nice job of damage control, inducing a
first-pitch 6-4-3 double play from shortstop Jhonny Peralta that
scored Jay, then retiring catcher Yadier Molina on a comebacker.
The Cardinals managed just four more hits for the game's remainder.
Their best scoring threat after the first came in the eighth, but
Parra's sliding catch of Carpenter's liner with men at first and
second saved perhaps two runs.
"I'd say that's part of the story," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny
said of his team's inability to add to their early lead. "I'd say we
gave some free bases, too. That's the rest of the story."
A story capped with a surprising game-winner.
"We need everybody to do this," Carlos Gomez said. "This was
exciting."
NOTES: St. Louis RHP John Lackey, whose turn was skipped so that the
team could run RHPs Lance Lynn, Adam Wainwright and Shelby Miller
out against Milwaukee, threw a bullpen session Tuesday. He likely
will start Friday night against Cincinnati. ... Milwaukee's Jonathan
Lucroy led the majors with 51 doubles through Monday. He could
become the first catcher to lead his league, much less all of
baseball, in doubles. ... Cardinal OFs Jon Jay (19) and Matt
Holliday (17) ranked No. 1 and 2 in the majors in hit by pitches
entering play Tuesday. As a team, St. Louis was plunked an
major-league-high 82 times.
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