Cardinals blow another lead as Rockies win 8-7
For the second time in two games, it seemed like the Colorado Rockies were down to go to defeat at the hands of the St-Louis Cardinals. And also for the second time in two days, the Rockies rallied late and snatched a win out of the grasp of the Cardinals.
The Rockies were down 7-4 headed into the eighth innings, but rallied to win 8-7. This follows one of the most spectacular comebacks in major league history, which they pulled off on Tuesday night when they overcame a 9-3 deficit in the ninth innings, scoring nine runs to win 12-9.
Once again it was the Cardinals’ bullpen that failed them. Starter Jaime Garcia took them through 5 1/3 innings successfully, allowing just two runs despite having given up nine hits. Kyle McClellan came in and pitched well, giving up no runs over five outs. But after that the next four relief pitchers gave up a run each, losing the game.
With Colorado it was the opposite story. A weak start by Aaron Cook saw him let in five runs over five innings, followed by Esmil Rogers pitching two innings and letting in two runs. But after that the bullpen shut the door, with Huston Street picking up the win.
Scoring summary
St-Louis jumped up to a 5-0 after five innings. In the first, Albert Pujols knocked in a run on a double-play ground-ball. Matt Holliday scored later in the first off of a single. He’d score again the same way in the third, before Holliday continued his impressive night by hitting a solo shot. Jon Jay picked up his second RBI of the night as the next at bat with another home run.
Colorado singled in three runs in the fifth before St. Louis picked up another run in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead. After another Colorado run was knocked in by Ian Stewart, Holliday struck again with his second solo shot. But then the bullpen came unglued again, conceding a three-run home run to Dexter Fowler in the eighth before Chris Ianetta got the team’s second walk-off home run in as many nights with his solo shot in the ninth.
Another disappointing loss
Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa expressed his disappointment after the second straight game in which his team blew a lead against the Rockies.
"It's a tough loss. We did a lot of good things, but we just couldn't shut them down in the end," La Russa said.
Holliday, who at 4-for-5 with two home runs was the star for the Cardinals, said he wasn’t used to seeing his bullpen perform that way.
“When you score 16 runs in two nights, and with our staff, we generally win,” said Holliday. “It hasn’t worked too well.”
Evan McLane picked up the loss, after he failed to record an out and let in Ianetta’s game-winning blast. Ianetta was the first batter he faced, on his sixth pitch. He said he was disappointed in himself after the game, his first in the majors.
“I’m not happy with it,” he said. “I’m here to pitch and I have to help the team win. I should have made a better pitch.”
LaRussa was more blunt.
“Not a very good début.”
Colorado ties Dodgers in NL West
The victory leaves both the Rockies and the L.A Dodgers tied at 46-38 in the NL West division, both of them three games behind divisional leader San Diego.
St-Louis falls behind the Cincinnati Reds even more in the NL Central division with the loss, which puts them three games behind at 45-39.
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