NL: Cardinals hit on all cylinders to get past Pirates
By Times Wires
Published July 27, 2003
ST. LOUIS - Tino Martinez is in a good spot these days - hitting behind Albert Pujols in the lineup.
Martinez and Pujols combined for eight hits and six RBIs as St. Louis defeated the Pirates 13-8 on Saturday.
"It's always fun to hit," Martinez said. "It's a great lineup to hit in to begin with. But hitting behind Albert, you know he's going to be on base all the time."
That was the case Saturday. Pujols was 4-for-5 with two doubles to increase his major-league-leading average to .376.
He has a league-high 44 multihit games and has hit in at least 10 consecutive games for the third time this season. Pujols is second to Preston Wilson in the NL with 96 RBIs.
Martinez was 4-for-5 with two RBIs, Edgar Renteria added three hits and Scott Rolen hit a three-run homer for St. Louis, which got 19 hits.
The hit everyone was talking about, however, was Jason Isringhausen's bases-loaded triple in the eighth for his first hit with the Cardinals.
"I haven't hit since '98," Isringhausen said. "I was told not to swing, but I just couldn't help myself."
Isringhausen got an out in the eighth and gave up two runs in the ninth before finishing for his eighth save in nine opportunities.
Cardinals starter Woody Williams benefited from the offensive outburst. He won his fourth consecutive start, allowing five runs and eight hits in 52/3 innings.
The Cardinals scored seven off Pittsburgh starter Josh Fogg, who lasted only four innings and allowed 10 hits.
The loss snapped the Pirates' three-game winning streak.
MARLINS 10, PHILLIES 5: Two errors by centerfielder Marlon Byrd led to two unearned runs, and Josh Beckett allowed one run in six innings as host Florida beat Philadelphia for the seventh time in a row.
Ivan Rodriguez and Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs for the Marlins, who climbed six games above .500 for the first time since they finished the 1997 season 92-70. That team went on to win the World Series.
Florida is three games behind Philadelphia, the leader in the wild-card race. The Phillies stranded 10 runners, struck out 14 times and committed three errors, giving them 10 in the past four games.
Beckett allowed seven hits but struck out nine and stranded six runners in scoring position. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.42 ERA in five games since returning July 1 from an elbow sprain that sent him to the disabled list for nearly two months.
PADRES 2, GIANTS 1: Kevin Javis allowed one run over eight innings for visiting San Diego. The Padres took the lead in the second on Phil Nevin's two-run homer. It was the first homer of the season for Nevin, playing in his third game after missing the first 102 because of a separated shoulder. Nevin, who went 2-for-3 and has a hit in all three games, homered off Jerome Williams. Williams went seven innings, allowing eight hits.
BRAVES 15, EXPOS 4: Javy Lopez's bases-loaded triple keyed a five-run first and Andruw Jones had four hits and three RBIs for visiting Atlanta. Gary Sheffield had three hits, including his 25th homer, and three RBIs for Atlanta, which tied a season high with 18 hits. Lopez, who also singled, is 18-for-34 (.529) with 18 RBIs during his nine-game hitting streak. Atlanta's Shane Reynolds allowed nine hits and three runs in seven innings.
ASTROS 3, CUBS 1: Tim Redding allowed two hits in seven innings and Jeff Bagwell homered for host Houston. Redding did not allow a hit until Aramis Ramirez's 400-foot triple to the hill in centerfield with one out in the fifth. Brad Lidge and Billy Wagner completed the two-hitter, with Wagner getting four outs for his 31st save in 34 opportunities.
DIAMONDBACKS 1, DODGERS 0: Elmer Dessens drove in a run with his first triple and pitched seven shutout innings for host Arizona. It was Arizona's second straight narrow decision over the Dodgers, coming hours after a 2-1 victory in 15 innings. Eddie Oropesa and Jose Valverde worked out of a jam in the eighth and Matt Mantei pitched the ninth for his 11th save, finishing the Diamondbacks' sixth shutout of the season - a six-hitter.
REDS 8, METS 3: Jose Acevedo struck out a career-high 10 in his first complete game, and Adam Dunn had three hits and drove in two runs as visiting Cincinnati snapped a four-game losing streak. The Reds scored three in the first en route to just their second win in nine games since the All-Star break. Acevedo has won two straight since being recalled from Triple-A Louisville on July 18.
ROCKIES 13, BREWERS 8: Preston Wilson had two homers and three RBIs for host Colorado. Wilson raised his homer total to 27 and his RBI total to an NL-leading 100. Milwaukee's Richie Sexson was 4-for-4 with four RBIs, including a three-run homer.
