Chicago uses 11-hit inning to down St. Louis 12-3.
By wire services
Published June 11, 2004
CHICAGO - The hits came one after another for the Cubs, a seemingly endless barrage that defied logic.
There was the catcher beating out an infield single. A screamer that glanced off the pitcher's glove. A three-run homer by Moises Alou so long the Cardinals didn't chase it.
By the time the fourth-inning frenzy was over Thursday afternoon, Chicago had nine straight hits and 11 overall, and it was well on its way to a 12-3 rout of St. Louis.
"You see everybody else getting hits and home runs, and you want to join in on the fun," said Derrek Lee, who hit a two-run homer during the 10-run spurt and had another RBI.
The 11 hits in the fourth tied the club's modern record for hits in an inning, and the nine straight was one shy of the major-league mark. All but two came with two outs.
"They had an edge because we had a starting pitcher go down, and they took advantage," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.
Did they ever. The Cubs finished with 15 hits. Todd Walker hit a homer, Aramis Ramirez went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored and Carlos Zambrano held St. Louis to five hits to give the Cubs a split of the four-game series.
It was a tough return to the majors for Dan Haren, who was recalled from Triple-A Memphis because Jason Marquis missed his scheduled start because of back spasms.
Haren allowed 10 hits and 10 runs in 32/3 innings.
"I liked my stuff, I just couldn't get anything to work," Haren said. "I just lost my focus that one inning. I couldn't put the guys away when I needed."
Ramirez and Todd Hollandsworth led off the fourth with singles, and Lee followed with a run-scoring groundout. Corey Patterson drew a walk before he was caught stealing, and it looked as if Haren might get out of the jam.
Not even close. Chicago ran off nine straight hits before Ramon Martinez grounded out to end the inning.
When it finally ended, the Cubs had 10 runs and 11 hits, all but three of them singles. Every player had at least one hit, and Ramirez and Hollandsworth had two.
Chicago also had 11 hits in an inning Aug.25, 1922, against Philadelphia, also in the fourth.
