The Phillies traveled to St. Louis last night for a four-game series at the Cardinals. Obviously, the Cards and Phils' first meeting of the season will bring back a few painful memories from last season's NLDS in which the Cards came out on top, and were eventual World Series Champions. Joe Blanton and Jake Westbrook took the mound tonight at Busch Stadium in what was quite a hectic game.
The Phillies jumped out from the get-go scoring four runs in the top of the first. Shane Victorino came through first with a fielder's choice which allowed Placido Polanco to score. Ty Wigginton followed with a single up the middle, bringing home Hunter Pence. After John Mayberry, Jr. walked, Freddy Galvis sliced a single past second base, scoring Carlos Ruiz and Victorino.
The Phils got to Westbrook again in the second. At 50 pitches, Westbrook gave up two singles and a fielder's choice before Shane Victorino hit a two-run double to left-center. 6-0 Phillies.
The bottom of the third wasn't pretty for Blanton. He allowed a single to Westbrook to lead it off, followed by a double from Skip Schumaker. Matt Holliday grounded out to put the Cardinals up on the board. With two outs, Carlos Beltran delivered an RBI double, David Freese did the same, and Yadier Molina drove in the fourth run with an RBI single.
Westbrook was out of the game by the fourth inning, but that didn't mean the Cardinals would stop fighting back. After one run scored in the top of the fifth (RBI single from Polanco), Matt Holliday went yard against Blanton to make it a 7-5 game. Carlos Beltran doubled (Blanton looked gassed by this point) and Yadier Molina homered to tie the game 7-7.
In the top of the sixth, Vic and Wigginton hit back-to-back singles. Freddy Galvis brought Vic home with a single, and Wigginton scored on a single from Mike Fontenot.
Chad Qualls retired five straight before David Freese took him deep to left-center, cutting the Phillies' lead down to just one run.
Ty Wigginton provided an insurance run in the eighth with his third homer of the season, a solo shot to dead center. 10-8 Phils.
With Antonio Bastardo on the mound, the Cards had two men on for Schumaker who popped up a sac fly to score one. Tony would strand two on the bases with an inning-ending strikeout of Carlos Beltran.
Jonathan Papelbon saved his 13th game tonight allowing one hit in the bottom of the ninth. What a ballgame.
Another 8:15 start tomorrow night in St. Louis as the Phillies will continue their trek to having a .500 win percentage.
