Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
Matt Holliday. He went 3 for 4 with a double, and two of those hits knocked in important runs. An honorable mention goes to Drew Stubbs, who was 1 for 3 with a timely hit, a walk, and 2 RBI. Yadier Molina (2 for 3 with a HR and a sac fly) would also warrant an honorable mention if he hadn't started things with BP in the bottom of the first.
Key Plays
- Felipe Lopez led off with a liner to LF that should have been caught easily, but Gomes bungled the play and he ended up on second. Two groundouts later, he scored. Cardinals up 1-0.
- In the second inning, Yadier Molina homered. Cardinals up 2-0.
- In the second, Drew Stubbs walked and Ramon Hernandez singled. They were bunted over by Johnny Cueto, then Stubbs scored on a Brandon Phillips groundout. Paul Janish walked and Ramon scored on a Joey Votto single before Scott Rolen fouled out to end the inning. Tie game, 2-2.
- The Cardinals pulled ahead in the sixth with a Pujols single, a Holliday double, a Rasmus double, and a Molina sac fly scoring three. Cardinals lead 5-2.
- The Reds got two back in the bottom of the sixth. Votto walked, Rolen walked, and Jim Edmonds walked to load the bases with two outs. Drew Stubbs singled to left to score two runs, but Edmonds was caught between second and third to end the inning. Cards still lead, 5-4.
- The Cardinals blew this open in the seventh. Brendan Ryan singled, and after Felipe Lopez struck out, John Jay doubled to put runners on second and third with one out and Albert Pujols due up. He was intentionally walked, but Holliday singled to left. Gomes misplayed it, then Logan Ondrusek misplayed it, and three runs ended up scoring before a groundout and a strikeout ended the inning. Cards up 8-4.
- The Reds didn't threaten in the ninth until there were two outs, but Ramon and Nix did single to put runners at first and second for BP. This was enough of a threat for the Cardinals to bring in their closer, Ryan Franklin. Of course, BP grounded out to second. Cards win, 8-4.
Other Notes
- Before a pitch was thrown to BP, Molina got into it with him and the benches cleared. There was some scuffling and suspensions will almost certainly result. Supposedly nobody was hurt though, and only the managers were tossed. You can watch the video of that here.
- Jim Edmonds still doesn't have a hit as a Red. He did work a walk, but made an out on the basepaths soon after that.
- Brandon Phillips is now 1 for 10 in this series.