Luvofthegame
09-10-2006, 10:58 PM
By Andrew Bagnato
AP SPORTS WRITER
09/10/2006
Tony Clark and Eric Byrnes hit solo home runs in the eighth inning to lift the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-7 victory over St. Louis on Sunday afternoon.
With two outs in the eighth, Clark and Byrnes belted consecutive pitches from Cardinals reliever Jorge Sosa (3-11).
Clark's pinch-hit homer, a 410-foot shot into the pool area in right-center field, broke a 7-7 tie. It was his sixth home run of the season and his second pinch-hit homer.
Byrnes followed it up with a 385-foot blast into the left field bleachers as the Diamondbacks knocked off the NL Central leaders for the third straight game after losing the series opener. St. Louis' lead in the division dwindled to 4.5 games over Cincinnati.
It was an ugly loss for the Cardinals, who had three errors and blew a 7-4 lead in the seventh inning.
Arizona left fielder Luis Gonzalez tied a career high with four hits, including his 544th career double, which gave him sole possession of 20th place on the all-time list.
Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols had three hits, including his 45th home run. Pujols' homer, a 440-foot shot down the left field line, came off Arizona starter Enrique Gonzalez and put the Cardinals ahead 5-4 in the fifth inning.
Luis Vizcaino (4-4) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 18 chances.
The Cardinals jumped ahead 1-0 on Chris Duncan's 16th home run in the first inning. But St. Louis gave up the lead two innings later with some careless infield play.
With one out in the third, Arizona had Carlos Quentin at third base and Stephen Drew at second when Byrnes bounced to third baseman Scott Rolen.
Rolen fired to the plate to try to and get Quentin. Catcher Yadier Molina chased Quentin toward third, where Drew also was headed.
Molina threw to Rolen, who dropped the ball as he tried to put the tag on Drew. By now, Quentin had turned and raced toward home. He scored as shortstop Jose Vizcaino's throw hit him in the back.
Rolen and Vizcaino were charged with errors on the play. On the next batter, Drew stole home as Molina tried and failed to pick Byrnes off first base.
Arizona added three more runs on consecutive singles by Orlando Hudson, Luis Gonzalez and Johnny Estrada.
St. Louis made it 4-3 in the fourth on Spiezio's RBI double and Vizcaino's run-scoring single. After Pujols homered to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead in the fifth, St. Louis added runs in the sixth on Spiezio's solo home run off reliever Tony Pena and Suppan's squeeze bunt.
Trailing 7-4 with two out and none on in the seventh, the Diamondbacks came back against Cardinal relievers Josh Kinney and Randy Flores. Kinney gave up a single to Byrnes and walked Hudson before Flores came on and gave up an RBI single to Gonzalez. Then Estrada blooped a double down the right field line to tie the game at 7-7.
AP SPORTS WRITER
09/10/2006
Tony Clark and Eric Byrnes hit solo home runs in the eighth inning to lift the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 9-7 victory over St. Louis on Sunday afternoon.
With two outs in the eighth, Clark and Byrnes belted consecutive pitches from Cardinals reliever Jorge Sosa (3-11).
Clark's pinch-hit homer, a 410-foot shot into the pool area in right-center field, broke a 7-7 tie. It was his sixth home run of the season and his second pinch-hit homer.
Byrnes followed it up with a 385-foot blast into the left field bleachers as the Diamondbacks knocked off the NL Central leaders for the third straight game after losing the series opener. St. Louis' lead in the division dwindled to 4.5 games over Cincinnati.
It was an ugly loss for the Cardinals, who had three errors and blew a 7-4 lead in the seventh inning.
Arizona left fielder Luis Gonzalez tied a career high with four hits, including his 544th career double, which gave him sole possession of 20th place on the all-time list.
Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols had three hits, including his 45th home run. Pujols' homer, a 440-foot shot down the left field line, came off Arizona starter Enrique Gonzalez and put the Cardinals ahead 5-4 in the fifth inning.
Luis Vizcaino (4-4) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning. Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 18 chances.
The Cardinals jumped ahead 1-0 on Chris Duncan's 16th home run in the first inning. But St. Louis gave up the lead two innings later with some careless infield play.
With one out in the third, Arizona had Carlos Quentin at third base and Stephen Drew at second when Byrnes bounced to third baseman Scott Rolen.
Rolen fired to the plate to try to and get Quentin. Catcher Yadier Molina chased Quentin toward third, where Drew also was headed.
Molina threw to Rolen, who dropped the ball as he tried to put the tag on Drew. By now, Quentin had turned and raced toward home. He scored as shortstop Jose Vizcaino's throw hit him in the back.
Rolen and Vizcaino were charged with errors on the play. On the next batter, Drew stole home as Molina tried and failed to pick Byrnes off first base.
Arizona added three more runs on consecutive singles by Orlando Hudson, Luis Gonzalez and Johnny Estrada.
St. Louis made it 4-3 in the fourth on Spiezio's RBI double and Vizcaino's run-scoring single. After Pujols homered to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead in the fifth, St. Louis added runs in the sixth on Spiezio's solo home run off reliever Tony Pena and Suppan's squeeze bunt.
Trailing 7-4 with two out and none on in the seventh, the Diamondbacks came back against Cardinal relievers Josh Kinney and Randy Flores. Kinney gave up a single to Byrnes and walked Hudson before Flores came on and gave up an RBI single to Gonzalez. Then Estrada blooped a double down the right field line to tie the game at 7-7.