Ryan Theriot, Albert Pujols help St. Louis Cardinals defeat Chicago Cubs 3-2 - MLB Update
Ryan Theriot scored a tying RBI and Albert Pujols blistered a leading homer as the St. Louis Cardinals beat Chicago Cubs 3-2, to clinch a series sweep at Busch Stadium on Sunday, June 5.
Having a 2-0 deficit until the sixth inning, the Cardinals’ were under great pressure but Allen Craig created some sense of relief, touching a line drive single off the Cubs’ outstanding starter Carlos Zambrano. Despite this run, the Cardinals were still
struggling against Zambrano and they were about to lose the game in the bottom of the ninth inning when Ryan Theriot added another run forcing the game into extra innings.
Once the game entered into the tenth inning, the Cardinals’ closer Fernando Salas threw a perfect inning to present his batters another opportunity to create some runs. Albert Pujols took full advantage of the chance and launched a dazzling 427-feet long
one-run homer to take the Cardinals’ to their 36th win of the season.
"It's a big game and a big win," Pujols said. "It doesn't matter what you do as long as you don't embarrass yourself out there."
This hit sent a shock to Zambrano, who has given just one run on five hits apart from two walks and three strike-outs over seven innings. His brilliant 73 strikes of 107 pitches went to waste when Carlos Marmol and Rodrigo Lopez gave an RBI each in consecutive
innings.
After bearing his loss, Zambrano gave some advice to his team-mates. "We should know that Ryan Theriot is not a good fastball hitter, we should know that as a team," Zambrano said. "We stink. That's all I have to say."
The Cardinals’ starter Chris Carpenter did not take a chance to hand the ball to the other relievers as Zambrano did for the Cubs, instead he preferred to continue until the ninth inning. "It doesn't matter," Carpenter said. "We won, that's what matters."
His move worked out as he allowed just two runs and two walks and made six strike-outs to take the Cardinals to their series sweep.
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