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 Until Wednesday, the St. Louis Cardinals catcher had just three in
his career and none since 2011.
His fourth -- a bases-clearing hit with two outs in the eighth --
helped the Cardinals erase a 2-0 deficit on the way to a 3-2 victory
over the Chicago White Sox.
"It think (the pitch) was right in the corner away," Molina said. "I
was looking for something middle, and it was a good pitch. I got
lucky to find a hole."
Molina's liner to the right field corner on a 2-2 pitch off closer
David Robertson brought home center fielder Randal Grichuk, pinch
runner Pete Kozma and right fielder Jason Heyward.
"It was a great at-bat in a great situation," Cardinals manager Mike
Matheny said.
Robertson relieved Chicago left-hander Zach Duke (3-4), who left
with the bases loaded and two outs after a single, a hit batter and
an interference call against catcher Tyler Flowers.
"I thought it was a great pitch," Robertson said. "(Molina is) a
really good hitter. I thought I was going to be able to beat him
with it. But he did what good hitters do, he found a hole in the
outfield, put a good swing on it and drove in all three runs."
Cardinals reliever Miguel Socolovich (4-1) worked the seventh inning
for the win. St. Louis closer Trevor Rosenthal pitched a
one-two-three ninth for his 29th save.
The Cardinals (60-34) swept the two-game interleague series and
split the four-game season series. The White Sox (42-50) took their
fourth consecutive defeat.
The loss spoiled another shutout performance by Chicago starter John
Danks.
The left-hander got a no-decision after he gave up five hits, struck
out five and walked none in 6 2/3 innings during a pitchers' duel
with Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn.
"I would have liked to have gone deeper, but I feel like I did my
job," Danks said. "I turned it over to a really good bullpen. Good
players on a good team found a way to beat us."
Lynn also wasn't involved in the decision. He pitched six innings
and allowed two runs on five hits while striking out eight and
walking just one.
"We were attacking the zone with the fastball and (pulling) away
with the breaking ball," Molina said of Lynn. "He pitched good. We
were facing a good team and they put something to him but only (got)
two runs."
Chicago scored twice in the sixth inning to break the shutout.
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First baseman Jose Abreu's single to left drove in second baseman
Carlos Sanchez for a 1-0 lead. Sanchez opened the inning with a base
hit, reached second on a walk and moved to third when third baseman
Tyler Saladino hit into a fielder's choice.
Saladino made it 2-0 when he scored on left fielder Melky Cabrera's
base hit to center with one out.
Danks departed with two outs in the seventh after throwing 91
pitches and allowing a single and two deep fly balls to start the
inning.
Cardinals designated hitter Matt Holliday was perched in scoring
position with two outs in the first inning, but he stayed put as
Heyward struck out swinging to end the inning.
The White Sox threatened in the third as Sanchez reached third
following center fielder Adam Eaton's two-out double to left. That
threat also sputtered out when Saladino struck out looking on a 3-2
Lynn pitch.
St. Louis missed a scoring chance in the fifth after left fielder
Stephen Piscotty's first career double pushed Molina to third with
two outs. Second baseman Kolten Wong flied out to center for the
third out.
NOTES: St. Louis will host the cross-state rival Kansas City Royals
on Thursday in an interleague makeup game before playing a
three-game home series against the Atlanta Braves. ... Cardinals RHP
John Lackey (8-5, 2.90 ERA) will make his team-leading 20th start of
the season Thursday. ... First base has been in a state of flux but
still has been a productive spot for the Cardinals. Four starters
have produced a collective 58 RBIs, the most of any position. ...
The White Sox and Cardinals met for only the third time since 2002.
Chicago swept three games at home in 2006 while the Cardinals won
two of three at home in 2012. ... The White Sox will send RHP Jeff
Samardzija (6-5, 4.08) against Indians RHP Trevor Bauer (8-6, 4.03)
on Thursday in the opener of a four-game set in Cleveland.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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