|
 Few would have guessed it would be an error by a Gold Glove
outfielder that led to a slow-footed runner scoring all the way from
first base.
But Carlos Gomez's fielding error on a one-out single by first
baseman Matt Adams in the bottom of the seventh inning allowed left
fielder Matt Holliday to chug home with the game's first run,
leading to St. Louis' critical 2-0 win over Milwaukee at sold-out
Busch Stadium.
Wainwright (19-9) scattered seven hits, walked two and whiffed seven
in his third shutout and fifth complete game of the year. In tying
the Los Angeles Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw for most wins in the
majors, Wainwright threw 77 of his 102 pitches for strikes.
The result enabled the Cardinals (84-68) to maintain a 2 1/2-game
lead on second place Pittsburgh in the National League Central. The
Brewers (79-73) fell five games back of St. Louis and now trail the
Pirates for the NL's second wild-card spot by 2 1/2 games.
"Adam's having an exceptional season," manager Mike Matheny said of
his ace. "Other than one inning, he was in complete control."
So was Fiers (6-3), who didn't permit a hit until Wainwright singled
up the middle with two outs in the sixth. In his first start since
beaning Miami's Giancarlo Stanton on Thursday night, Fiers baffled
the Cardinals until his last inning.
Holliday worked a walk after narrowly missing a first-pitch homer,
hooking the ball foul. Adams grounded the first pitch off the glove
of diving second baseman Scooter Gennett, sending Holliday to third.
But Gomez slipped and booted the ball, and third base Jose Oquendo
waved Holliday around. Holliday had slowed down but managed to beat
the relay throw from shortstop Jean Segura as catcher Jonathan
Lucroy's swipe tag connected with air.
Fiers was forgiving of Gomez.
"That can happen to anyone," the pitcher said. "He didn't mean to do
it. I've just got to pitch through that."
With his team struggling to generate offense for a second straight
game, Matheny knew Oquendo might have to roll the dice.
"We want Jose to be aggressive there," Matheny said. "Very good job.
He sensed that might be our chance. We were having trouble getting a
baserunner, let alone stacking hits, against Fiers. So we had to
push it."
[to top of second column]
|
Shortstop Jhonny Peralta delivered an RBi single to plate Adams, who
made it to second on the error, with an insurance run.
Fiers gave up only three hits and two runs, one earned, while
walking one and fanning seven in seven innings.
"I could have done a better job," he said. "I needed to pitch
through the seventh inning and couldn't do it."
Milwaukee's best scoring chance came in the fourth inning, when it
loaded the bases with two outs. But Segura, swinging at an 0-1
pitch, lined out to center fielder Peter Bourjos.
Gennett's leadoff single in the eighth inning was wiped out by
Lucroy's 6-4-3 double play. Wainwright touched 95 mph on the radar
gun -- about 4 mph faster than his norm -- while pitching a clean
ninth.
"I'm not saying that's going to be there every time," Wainwright
said of his sudden increase in velocity. "But this was big for us.
We're trying to get to October. I wanted to shoulder the load."
NOTES: St. Louis manager Mike Matheny confirmed that RHP John Lackey
will pitch Friday night when Cincinnati comes to town for a
three-game series. RHP Michael Wacha, whose turn was skipped Sunday,
gets the call Saturday evening. ... Milwaukee CF Carlos Gomez
(wrist) and 2B Scooter Gennett (hamstring) were in the lineup
Wednesday night despite having their injuries iced after Tuesday
night's game. Gomez missed more than a week with the injury he
suffered in San Francisco on Aug. 30, and Gennett has been battling
his injury the entire second half of the season. ... Cardinals RHP
Carlos Martinez pitched a scoreless inning in relief Tuesday night,
stretching his streak without giving up a run to 12 2/3 innings,
dating to Aug. 22.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
