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Cards’ winning streak snapped in 2-0 loss to Phillies
St. Louis, Mo. – As hot as the temperature was outside, both starting pitchers kept the opposing bats just as cold. But it was the Phillies that finally broke through with a lead-off solo home run by Placido Polanco in the 11th inning and defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 on a sweltering afternoon game Wednesday (July 22) at Busch Stadium.
Phillies’ starter Cole Hamels was especially dominant, striking out the first five Cardinal hitters of the game and limiting the Redbirds to just one hit through eight innings.
Wainwright was nearly as spectacular in hurling six shutout innings, but labored through a long first inning that saw the Phillies put runners at second and third with two out, but a strikeout of Jason Werth got the Cards out of the inning.
Hamels was so sharp he had faced the minimum number of hitters until giving up a two-out walk to Yadier Molina in the bottom of the eighth. Matt Holliday recorded the only Cardinal hit of the day with a lead-off single in the fourth, but was doubled off first base after Shane Victorino robbed Allen Craig with a great sliding catch in left field.
After Wainwright left after six innings, Mitchell Boggs and Jason Motte each pitched two scoreless frames in relief that kept the Cardinals in the game.
Polanco’s go-ahead homer against Kyle McClellan was his sixth of the season. Trevor Miller followed McClellan with one out in the 11th and walked Raul Ibanez and gave up a single to Ryan Howard before giving way to Fernando Salas. Salas then surrendered an RBI double to Werth that gave the Phillies a two-run lead.
The Cardinals (54-42) had a chance when Jon Jay led off the bottom of the 11th with a walk and promptly stole second to bring the tying run to the plate. But closer Brad Lidge retired the next three hitters to seal the victory for the Phillies and end the Cards’ winning streak at eight games, their longest since the 2004 season.
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Wainwright struck out six and walked none in his six scoreless frames to lower his ERA to 1.94, good for second in the major leagues. As tough as it was to pitch in these heated conditions, it appeared to have an even more negative effect on the hitters.
“Pitchers always have an advantage, but especially as hot as it is, it’s hard for the hitters when they have to labor out in the field to come back in and take good at-bats,” Wainwright said.
Hamels finished with seven strikeouts in his eight innings of work.
The Cardinals will now open a three-game series tomorrow afternoon (July 23) at Wrigley Field against their division rival Chicago Cubs. Game time is 1:20 p.m. and will match the Cards’ Jeff Suppan (0-5, 6.05 ERA, 0-3 4.20 with STL) against Randy Wells (4-7, 4.33 ERA). The Cards took two of three from the Cubs at Wrigley earlier this season.
By: Levi Convirs
MLBCenter.com St. Louis Cardinals Correspondent
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