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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- J.D. Drew wasn't trying to get the game-ending
hit, it just worked out that way.
Drew hit the winning single in the 11th inning Monday night as
the St. Louis Cardinals beat Florida 2-1, stopping the Marlins'
five-game winning streak.
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| Drew |
The game was delayed by rain in the top of the ninth, and when
it resumed at 11:59 p.m. CT after a 2-hour, 14-minute wait, only
about 1,500 fans remained from a sellout crowd announced at 40,377.
With the field soaked, Drew had a simple plan.
"If you put it in play, hopefully something good happens,"
Drew said. "It couldn't have found a better spot and taken a
better hop. See you tomorrow."
Eric Davis singled off Vic Darensbourg (4-2) with one out in the
11th and Fernando Tatis walked before Drew's blooper to shallow
left dropped in front of Henry Rodriguez, made a detour in the muck
and slid past him as Davis scored easily.
"I'm so proud of him," manager Tony La Russa said. "That's
exactly the frame of mind you need to have."
Davis had entered the game as a defensive substitute in the top
of the 11th.
"I told (La Russa) I'm too old to be going into the game at a
quarter to one," Davis joked.
It was the Cardinals' first run in 16 innings against relief
pitching.
The long rain delay and the small crowd at the finish didn't
bother the Marlins.
"We're used to that," Florida manager John Boles said. "I
thought we had the advantage, because we're used to rain delays."
Cardinals pitchers retired 16 straight batters before the
Marlins loaded the bases against Dave Veres in the ninth, but
pinch-hitter Andy Fox had an inning-ending groundout.
"If we get a flare like that and a kick in the turf, we win
that ballgame," said the Marlins' Preston Wilson, who had two hits
and two steals in the last three innings. "That's what it kind of
came down to."
Veres worked a perfect 10th and Mike Timlin (1-0) allowed a hit
and walked a batter intentionally in the 11th.
The NL Central-leading Cardinals are 4-0 against the Marlins
this season, but have won only four of their last 11 overall.
Will Clark, who had homered in all four of his starts since the
Cardinals acquired him July 31, was 0-for-5 with a warning track
flyout ending the the third. Clark, hitting .474 with St. Louis
(9-for-19), fell one shy of the Cardinals record for homering in
consecutive games.
Cardinals starter Rick Ankiel allowed only two hits in five
innings, but threw 103 pitches. He struck out seven and walked
three.
Ankiel handed the Marlins a run in the first. Preston Wilson
tapped to the mound with runners on first and third and one out and
Ankiel had an easy play at the plate to get Chris Clapinski, but
instead wheeled toward second in hopes of getting a double play.
He decided against making a throw to second and then tossed the
ball flat-footed -- and wildly -- to first for an error.
Florida didn't get another runner past first base until the
ninth.
A Marlins error helped the Cardinals tie it in the second. Ray
Lankford led off with a single, advanced to third when Drew reached
on second baseman Clapinski's throwing error and scored on a
sacrifice fly to the wall in left by Carlos Hernandez.
Game notes
Marlins 2B Luis Castillo missed his third straight start
due to a pulled hamstring, but could play Tuesday. ... Ankiel has
permitted one home run to a left-handed batter in 152 career
innings. ... Rip Collins (1935) and Jim Bottomley (1929) each
homered in five straight games, sharing the Cardinals' record. ...
Ankiel threw 20 or more pitches in four of his five innings. ...
Florida had won its previous four road games.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Florida Clubhouse
St. Louis Clubhouse
RECAPS
Seattle 8
NY Yankees 5
Cleveland 2
Texas 0
Baltimore 4
Detroit 3
Minnesota 4
Tampa Bay 2
Kansas City 8
Toronto 7
Anaheim 4
Boston 1
Cincinnati 3
Atlanta 2
San Diego 6
Philadelphia 4
NY Mets 6
Houston 5
St. Louis 2
Florida 1
Pittsburgh 8
Colorado 7
Arizona 5
Montreal 2
Chicago Cubs 7
Los Angeles 3
San Francisco 8
Milwaukee 1
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