Fielder helps Brewers rally by Cardinals
July 9, 2009
MILWAUKEE (AP)—Brewers manager Ken Macha said Prince Fielder(notes) showed blindingspeed during his mad dash to first. The Brewers slugger had a different term forit: panicked.
Whatever the description, Fielder legged out a two-out, eighth inninginfield single that brought home the go-ahead run and the struggling Brewersrallied to beat the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Wednesdaynight.
“No, it was just panicked speed, I guess,” Fielder said after being toldMacha’s comments. “Yeah, just panicked.”
Fielder hit a slow grounder off reliever Dennys Reyes(notes) to shortstop BrendanRyan(notes) with the bases loaded and Ryan’s off-balance throw to first baseman AlbertPujols(notes) wasn’t in time.
“I thought he was going to try to go to second or third,” said Fielder,who admitted watching the play the entire way down the line before panic set in.“I didn’t know he was going to get there that quick. I didn’t even think he wasgoing to be able to throw to first, but he made a great play and I was able toleg it out.”
Series at a Glance St. Louis 5 Milwaukee 0 Tue, Jul 7 – Final St. Louis 4 Milwaukee 5 Wed, Jul 8 – Final St. Louis at Milwaukee Thu, Jul 9 – 2:05 pm ET
He had been 4 of 24 this season against St. Louis before his only single ofthe night.
“Five for 25,” Fielder joked. “With men in scoring position, I want toget them in. A hit is a hit. If I’d dragged bunted, I’d have been happy.”
Rookie Mat Gamel(notes) hit a two-run homer in the fourth, reliever Todd Coffey(notes)(4-1) got the win with two scoreless innings and Trevor Hoffman(notes) picked up his19th save in 20 chances after working around Pujols and out of a bases loadedjam.
It was a much needed victory for the Brewers, who moved back within a gameof St. Louis in the NL Central despite losing five of the last seven andtrailing 4-1 in the fourth.
“We’re battling our way here,” Brewers manager Ken Macha said. “Comingback and tying the ball game up after they’d scored four was huge.”
In the eighth, Cardinals reliever Jason Motte(notes) (3-3) got the first two outs,but Craig Counsell(notes) doubled and Motte walked J.J. Hardy(notes) and Ryan Braun, the ninthfree pass given out by Cardinals pitchers.
“I know Jason’s upset with himself, two outs and nobody on and couldn’t getthe third out before you load the bases,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.“That puts you in a tough spot.”
Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Br… AP – Jul 8, 11:45 pm EDT
Reyes replaced Motte, but the Brewers’ All-Star first baseman came throughwith his 77th RBI this season. It was the second time this year St. Louis hadgiven up nine walks or more after issuing 11 in an 8-4 loss to the Brewers onMay 18.
“It is uncharacteristic,” Motte said. “But it’s one of those things thathappened, just one of those games.”
The Cardinals missed two chances late.
In the eighth, Coffey stranded runners on first and second by striking outRyan to end the inning, and Hoffman had to work out of a bases loaded jam. Heallowed a leadoff double to Skip Schumaker(notes) and intentionally walked Pujols withone out in the ninth.
After catcher Jason Kendall(notes) made a falling grab in foul territory of RyanLudwick’s(notes) pop up for the second out, Hoffman walked Chris Duncan(notes) to load thebases and Yadier Molina(notes) grounded out to end it.
“That’s outstanding,” Coffey said. “He got it done.”
While Gamel homered in the fourth, he struck out twice with the basesloaded, including with two outs in the seventh after Braun had tripled andreliever Kyle McClellan(notes) had walked Frank Catalanotto(notes) and Mike Cameron(notes). Fieldergrounded out earlier in that inning.
“I’m sure after he came in the previous at-bat and didn’t get the guy in,his determination was that much greater,” Macha said.
The teams combined for seven runs in the fourth, with St. Louis taking a 4-1lead off Brewers starter Jeff Suppan(notes), but Cardinals counterpart Todd Wellemeyer(notes)giving it back off Gamel’s homer and an RBI single by Counsell.
“Bad inning,” La Russa said. “We scored and you need a shutdown (inning)and couldn’t shut them down.”
NOTES: Pujols finished 0 for 4 for the seventh time this season. … BrewersLHP Manny Parra(notes) will be recalled and start the series finale against RHP JoelPineiro(notes). LHP Chris Narveson(notes) was designated for assignment. … Brewers benchcoach Willie Randolph was suspended for the game after being ejected the nightbefore.
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