Cardinals Use Long Ball In Win, Padres Beat Cubs

By ESPN

The Cardinals used the long ball to rally and small ball to win.

Tommy Pham's second solo homer off Hector Neris in the ninth inning tied it and the St. Louis Cardinals came back from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 in 10 innings Wednesday night.

Jedd Gyorko hit a two-run homer and pinch-hitter Jose Martinez also connected for St. Louis.

"Any time you come back like that, it feels real good, shows we have a lot of character," Pham said.

The game went to extra innings after Freddy Galvis lined a double down the left-field line with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Odubel Herrera ran through a stop sign, around third-base coach Juan Samuel and was thrown out by 10 feet. He didn't even attempt to slide and was pulled from the game in a double switch.

"I was playing aggressive, I wanted to win the game, I put my head down and kept running," Herrera said through a translator. "I saw (the stop sign) late. It's my mistake."

Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Herrera let his "emotions get the best of him."

Martinez led off the 10th with a double to right off Edubray Ramos (0-6). He advanced to third on a balk and scored when Ramos made a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at first base after Dexter Fowler was intentionally walked. Yadier Molina added an RBI single.

Phillies starter Nick Pivetta had a career-high 10 strikeouts and allowed three runs and four hits in six innings. The rookie right-hander fanned nine in seven scoreless innings in his previous outing against Boston -- also a no-decision. The Cardinals won their second straight extra-inning game after losing five of six.

The Phillies have lost 13 of 14 and 39 of 50. They have the worst record in the majors (22-48).

Cardinals starter Michael Wacha gave up five runs -- two earned -- and nine hits in four innings. Brett Cecil (1-2) got two outs to earn the win. Seung Hwan Oh allowed a run but finished for his 16th save in 18 tries.

The Phillies jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning. The runs were unearned because of a fielding error by second baseman Greg Garcia.

After Garcia booted a double-play grounder, Maikel Franco drove in the first run with a fielder's choice grounder and Herrera ripped a two-run double to right-center.

Garcia made a throwing error in the fourth that allowed another run as the Phillies took a 5-0 lead.

Pham hit his eighth homer in the fifth. Gyorko went deep in the sixth for his 11th homer. Martinez hit one off Joaquin Benoit in the eighth to cut it to 5-4. Pham drove one out to straightaway center to tie it in the ninth.

"He's a dangerous hitter to any part of the field," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Pham. "An exciting player."

Padres 3, Cubs 2

A dash of power, followed by patience at the plate, paid off for the San Diego Padres.

Erick Aybar hit a tying home run in the sixth inning, Luis Torrens walked with the bases loaded against Koji Uehara in the eighth and the Padres stopped a three-game losing streak by beating the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on Wednesday.

Torrens, a rookie who started at catcher for the second straight game for the injured Austin Hedges, took a 3-1 fastball that sailed inside with two outs to force in the go-ahead run.

"It's tough to get some veteran guys to do that," manager Andy Green said. "Sometimes they want to win the game so bad swinging the bat that they don't realize the walk is just as powerful in that situation."

Uehara (2-4), the fifth of six Cubs relievers, replaced Pedro Strop starting the eighth and allowed singles to Wil Myers leading off and Cory Spangenberg with one out.

Aybar was intentionally walked, loading the bases, Matt Szczur fouled out and then the 21-year-old Torrens walked.

"I think always focusing on little things, focusing on work and making adjustments," Torrens said through a translator.

Jose Pirela started the comeback with an RBI single in the fifth off Eddie Butler, and Aybar tied the score against Brian Duensing.

Chicago rookie Ian Happ hit a two-run homer in the fourth against reliever Craig Stammen, going deep for the second straight game and third time in four. Happ is hitting just .221, but has gone deep 10 times.

"I feel like the at-bats are getting better," Happ said. "You're seeing some balls go out of the yard and hopefully if I keep making contact, some more will fall."

Phil Maton (1-0), the third of five Padres relievers, pitched a scoreless seventh for his first major league win. Brandon Maurer got two outs for his 13th save in 15 chances.

Maton, a 24-year-old from Chatham, Illinois, was delighted with where he got the victory.

"Real cool" Maton said. "Growing up in central Illinois, all the Cubs fans lived in the area. Especially this awesome atmosphere, hard to beat it."

Miguel Diaz, making his third major league start, left with one out in the third inning because of a right forearm strain. He allowed one hit and a walk, then was replaced by Stammen.

Cubs starter Eddie Butler gave up one run, five hits and three walks in four-plus innings, leaving after Stammen doubled leading off the fifth and scored on Pirella's single.

Chicago's Anthony Rizzo went 0 for 4, stopping a career-high 14-game hitting streak. He failed to reach base in his opening at-bat for the first time since being moved the leadoff spot eight games earlier.

Twins 4, White Sox 2

The Minnesota Twins struggled so badly last season that even the elite talents of Jose Berrios and Miguel Sano were swallowed up by a club-record 103 losses.

Their skills have sure been shining through this year.

Berrios finished eight innings for a second straight start and Sano homered for the second consecutive game as the Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2 on Wednesday night behind two of their brightest young stars.

After going 3-7 with an unsightly 8.02 ERA in 14 turns as a rookie, Berrios (7-1) has a sparkling 2.67 ERA in eight starts since being recalled from Triple-A.

"There's a lot to be said about the path that he's been on. He's gone deep now a couple times when we've really needed it," Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

Berrios struck out eight with just four hits and one walk against him.

"This year, he's got a different mentality," Sano said. "I know he's working really hard, all season. He comes here to pitch."

The White Sox had one single over their last 18 at-bats against the 22-year-old right-hander.

"I'm trying to stay humble, stay down to earth, keep enjoying the moment and help the team keep competitive," Berrios said.

Sano hit his 18th home run, tying the game to start a three-run third inning off a 3-0 fastball from David Holmberg (1-1) with an opposite-field drive to the second deck in right-center . The 24-year-old Sano, on a break from third base to serve as the designated hitter, is third in the AL with 52 RBI.

He hit 25 homers in 116 games last season, but an ill-fated tryout in right field set a discouraging tone and he batted just .236. This year, he's up to .291 with a .973 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Brandon Kintzler pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the second straight night, notching his 19th save in 22 opportunities. The Twins (36-33) improved to 7-3 against the White Sox this season, using their last-place rival for a much-needed lift following a four-game sweep here over the weekend by division-leading Cleveland.

AL batting leader Avisail Garcia put the White Sox in front with an RBI single in the first inning, and Adam Engel came home during a groundball double play in the third inning after a leadoff double.

But Berrios was in command the whole time with a lively two-seam fastball doing most of the damage.

"Last year, I gave a lot of credit to the hitter," Berrios said. "This year, I don't care who is hitting. So I'm trying to think about my pitches and make them."

Wednesday, June 21 Scoreboard

Miami 2, Washington 1

Tampa Bay 8, Cincinnati 3

Kansas City 6, Boston 4

San Diego 3, Chicago Cubs 2

Cleveland 5, Baltimore 1

New York Yankees 8, Los Angeles Angels 4

St. Louis 7, Philadelphia 6 (F/10)

Atlanta 5, San Francisco 3 (F/11)

Toronto 7, Texas 5

Milwaukee 4, Pittsburgh 3

Minnesota 4, Chicago White Sox 2

Arizona 16, Colorado 5

Los Angeles Dodgers 8, New York Mets 2

Houston 5, Oakland 1

Seattle 7, Detroit 5

Thursday, June 22 Schedule (All Times Central)

St. Louis at Philadelphia, 12:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 12:10 p.m.

Toronto at Texas, 1:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at MIlwaukee, 1:10 p.m.

Arizona at Colorado, 2:10 p.m.

Houston at Oakland, 2:35 p.m.

Cleveland at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Miami, 6;10 p.m.

San Frnacisco at Atlanta, 6;35 p.m.

Detroit at Seattle, 9;10 p.m.

New York Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

Friday, June 23 Schedule (All Times Central)

Texas at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Cincinnati at Washington, 6:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Minnesota at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Miami, 6:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Atlanta, 6:35 p.m.

Oakland at Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m.

Toronto at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 7:15 p.m.

Philadelphia at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Houston at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Colorado at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

Detroit at San Diego, 9:10 p.m.

New York Mets at San Francisco, 9;15 p.m.

Saturday, June 24 Schedule (All Times Central)

Texas at New York Yankees, 12:05 p.m.

Oakland at Chicago White Sox, 1:10 p.m.

Toronto at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

Cincinnati at Washington, 3:05 p.m.

Minnesota at Cleveland, 3:10 p.m.

Milwaukee at Atlanta, 3:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Miami, 3:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 3:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Boston, 6;15 p.m.

Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 6:15 p.m.

New York Mets at San Francisco, 6:15 p.m.

Houston at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

Colorado at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

Detroit at San Diego, 9:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Arizona, 9:10 p.m.

Sunday, June 25 Schedule (All Times Central)

Minnesota at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.

Chicago Cubs at Miami, 12:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Los  Angeles Angels at Boston, 12:35 p.m.

Milwaukee at Atlanta, 12:35 p.m.

Cincinnati at Washington, 12:35 p.m.

Texas at New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.

Oakland at Chicago White Sox, 1:10 p.m.

Toronto at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

New York Mets at San Francisco, 3:05 p.m.

Houston at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

Co0lorado at Los Angeles Dodgers, 3:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Arizona, 3:10 p.m.

Detroit at San Diego, 3:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 7 p.m.