Astros 6
Cardinals 3
WP: B. Backe (2-1) S: B. Lidge (16)
LP: J. Pineiro (5-4)
In the first the Astros continued their hitting from last night. Berkman lined a 2 run homer to dead center. Lee followed up with a double off the centerfield wall. Wigginton singled sharply to left and Lee hustled around to score the 3rd run of the inning.
The Cardinals tried to chip away, a sac fly in the 1st and an almost double play in the 5th allowed the runner to score from 3rd put the score at 3-2. Backe pitched well and helped himself in the field. In the 4th , Shumaker doubled to start the inning, but the next batter Molina grounded back to the mound and Backe alertly spun around and caught Shumaker breaking. Backe pushed Shumaker back to 2nd where Ransom made the tag and was able to make the throw to first to get the slow running and lollygagging Molina to clean up the inning. La Russa left Molina in the game. Only rookies have to play like major leaguers on the Cardinals.
Bottom of the 7th , Sarfate relieved Backe. He walks Ryan and on a single to right by Counsell, Ryan goes from 1st to 3rd. Counsell got caught off trying to advance to 2nd on the throw to 3rd but the Astros couldn’t execute the run down and he got back to first
With runners 1st and 3rd, score 3-2, one out, Sarfate started flinging fastballs at Ankiel 97, 98, 100 mph. Sarfate uncorked one high that looked headed for the backstop, but Towles leapt out of the crouch, mask and other equipment flying, and flagged down the wild pitch to save the run. Sarfate then struck out Ankiel on a high 100 mph fastball away and painted some corners to get ahead on the next batter Ludwick and finally K’d him swinging at a fastball in to protect the lead.
In the top the 8th , the Kids created more havoc, Pence and Ransom singled and Towles bounced a double down the 3b line scoring two. JR was able to come around on a Josh Anderson single.
Randolph got two quick outs in the 9th but then walked the next three to make inning more exciting than necessary. Cooper waited for La Russa to announce Pujols the pinch hitter for Shumaker, then came out of the dugout smiling and calling for Lidge.
Lidge threw Pujols a slider high for the first pitch, then 3 straight low sliders. Pujols offered at nothing and walked. The next batter Molina grounded out to short. Greg Maddux explained once, you pitch to beat the other teams’ lineup, not every hitter.
