Phillies Edge Cardinals in Tenth on Ruiz Walkoff Homer
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Phillies lefthander Cole Hamels and Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright engaged in an eight inning pitching duel for the ages on Tuesday before the latest in an epidemic of fans running onto the field ruined Hamels’ rythym in the ninth inning resulting in game-tying back-to-back doubles. Catcher Carlos Ruiz, who followed a seventh inning leadoff triple by leftfielder Raul Ibanez with a run-scoring sacrifice fly to give the Phils a 1-0 lead, slammed reliever Blake Hawksworth’s 2-1 pitch out to leftfield for a leadoff walkoff homer to end it as the Phillies edged the Cardinals in the tenth by a 2-1 score on Ruiz’s walkoff homer.
With the win, the Phils maintained their 1/2 game NL East lead over the Mets and hold a 1 game lead over the 3rd place Washington Nationals.
Both pitchers managed to work out of minor jams in the third through sixth innings thanks to a fielders choice and a couple of doubleplays. After Ruiz gave the Phils a seventh inning 1-0 lead with his sacrifice fly, Hamels clung to the lead breezing through and going clean in the seventh and eight innings.
In what was easily Hamels’ finest outing thus far in 2010, he hurled a six hit shutout through eight innings before being lifted after back-to-back doubles in the ninth tied the score. His line for the game was eight innings, 116 pitches, 1 run, 8 hits, 2 walks and 8 strikeouts.
After the fan incident, Hamels gave up back-to-back doubles to tie the score. Closer Brad Lidge replaced Hamels to get the side out in the ninth and Jose Contreras held the Cards off in the tenth despite 1st baseman Albert Pujols’ 1 out double.
Wainwright was also brilliant in his best outing of the season, aside from his eight inning, 6 hit shutout of the Houston Astros on April 12. He threw 109 pitches giving up a run on 4 hits while walking 2 and striking out 6.
AP sports writer Rob Maaddi recaps the game for Yahoo sports:
Hamels and …Wainwright were excellent in a pitcher’s duel. Wainwright, a 19-game winner last year, allowed one run, four hits and fanned six to lower his ERA to 1.96.
The Phillies starter was cruising to that point, taking a six-hitter into the ninth. But after the man ran on the field, Hamels quickly allowed consecutive doubles to David Freese and Yadier Molina to tie the game.
Hamels left after Molina’s tying double. Lidge retired pinch-hitter Skip Schumaker on a grounder to first that moved the runner to third. After an intentional walk, Lidge struck out Brendan Ryan and pinch-hitter Jon Jay flied out to deep right-center.
Raul Ibanez led off Philadelphia’s seventh with a triple to right-center. The slow-footed Ibanez chugged around second while centerfielder Joe Mather chased his hard liner in the gap, and easily made it into third.
After Juan Castro bounced out, Ruiz hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Ibanez for a 1-0 lead.
Hamels escaped trouble in the fifth when Albert Pujols came up with the bases loaded and two outs. But the big slugger popped out on the first pitch.
Reliever Contreras, who gave a 1 out double to 1st baseman Pujols, struck out 2 in the tenth and was credited with the win while Hawksworth, who threw 4 pitches to Ruiz — the 4th being the dinger, was charged with the loss.
To view the scores of all of Tuesday’s MLB games, click here.
The Phils hope to take the series lead on Wednesday as Kyle Kendrick gets another shot to right his ship. Kendrick has been pounded in all his outings except for 1 impressive performance. He is opposed by Brad Penny who has been superb thus far this season for the Cards.
To view all of Wednesday’s games, click here.
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