LDN - Sports

Hometown talent Voit helps St. Louis rout Marlins

[July 04, 2017] ST. LOUIS -- As first big-league homers go, Luke Voit couldn't have picked a better place to launch his.

Capping a four-RBI game, the St. Louis-area native blasted a two-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning Monday night, finishing off the Cardinals' 14-6 blowout of the Miami Marlins.

Voit ripped a 3-2 fastball from Jarlin Garcia 429 feet to the grassy knoll behind the center field wall. The crowd of 42,694 showered him with a long ovation, eventually getting the rookie's first career curtain call.

Making his third career start at first base as manager Mike Matheny shifted Matt Carpenter to second, Voit also lined an RBI double that started a seven-run third inning and polished off a four-run rally in the first with a run-scoring groundout.

However, the long ball was the marquee moment in a game all about offense. The teams combined for 28 hits, none more notable that Voit's last one.

"I was looking for something," he said. "I knew (Garcia) was going to blow it by me, and I was ready for it."

Voit knew it was gone when it left his bat, doing a little hop when he left the box that inspired a comparison from winning pitcher Adam Wainwright.

"He did a little Sammy Sosa," Wainwright quipped. "He's hit a few homers; he knows when we gets them. I'm glad he got to do that here."

Voit was one of many offensive stars in a season-high outburst for St. Louis (40-42), which is 7-2 in its last nine games and remained 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central.

Tommy Pham went 3-for-3 with two walks, scoring twice and knocking in two runs. His RBI triple to center past a diving Christian Yelich initiated the scoring.

Yadier Molina also went 3-for-3, doubling twice and driving in three runs. Molina came within inches of a five-RBI game, but his drive to right-center with the bases loaded and two outs in the third thumped off the top of the wall, leaving him with a two-run double instead of a grand slam.

That was the last act in a forgettable evening for Miami starter Jeff Locke (0-5), who tied a career and franchise high by allowing 11 runs over 2 2/3 innings. Locke, whose ERA soared from 5.52 to 8.16, gave up 11 hits and four walks while striking out two.

"They did all the damage they needed to do in the first inning," Locke said. "It got out of hand real fast."

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Cardinals first baseman Luke Voit (40) receives a curtain call after hitting his first major league home run off of Miami Marlins relief pitcher Jarlin Garcia (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Wainwright (9-5) couldn't escape the carnage on this night. Miami roughed him up for six runs in the fifth inning, getting a two-run single from Tyler Moore, a three-run double from Marcell Ozuna and an RBI double from Justin Bour.

However, all that did was reduce an 11-0 lead to 11-6. Wainwright still qualified for the victory despite giving up six runs on eight hits in five innings. He walked one and fanned eight, punching out Giancarlo Stanton three times.

Wainwright also contributed to the St. Louis attack, lacing a two-run single in the third. In his career against Locke, Wainwright is 6-for-13 with seven RBI.

"I've faced him a lot," Wainwright said. "He's struck me out quite a bit, and he got me tonight, but I've seen the ball well against him."

Every Cardinal starter picked up a hit or scored a run. Shortstop Paul DeJong was the only one who didn't hit safely, and he was intentionally passed prior to Wainwright's hit that made it a 7-1 game.

J.T. Realmuto rapped out three hits for the Marlins (36-45), while JT Riddle added two.

NOTES: St. Louis 3B Jedd Gyorko left the game in the bottom of the fifth for PH Alex Mejia, suffering from a cramp in his left leg. Gyorko went 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI. ... St. Louis recalled RHP Luke Weaver from Triple-A Memphis and optioned RHP Mike Mayers to Memphis. Weaver, who was 7-1 with a 1.93 ERA in 11 starts for the Redbirds, pitched a scoreless sixth inning Monday for the Cardinals. ... Miami OF Marcell Ozuna's two-homer performance Sunday in Milwaukee marked his third of the year. Only the Dodgers' Cody Bellinger (six) and the Mets' Jay Bruce (four) own more multi-homer games.

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