Rants Daily: Cardinals fall to Cubs as bats wake up late

The rebuilding Cubs came into St Louis and took advantage of the cooling St Louis Cardinals. Jake Westbrook put up four solid innings, but it wasn’t enough as the Cubs out-hit the Redbirds. Who performed well for the Cardinals? Find out after the break

Jake Westbrook started the game out on a positive not as he retired the side in order on a strike out and two ground outs. Unfortunately, the Cardinals bats started just as cold as Rafael Furcal popped out, Jon Jay grounded out, and Matt Holliday popped out to end the inning.

A red-hot Bryan LaHair reached base on a fielding error by Matt Holliday, but was erased when Alfonso Soriano grounded into a double play. Ian Stewart and Geovany Soto reached base on back-to-back singles, Darwin Barney loaded the base with a two out walk, but Ryan Dempster grounded out to end the inning. Allen Craig started the bottom half with a single into left field. Lance Berkman flew out and David Freese hit a grounder that erased Craig. Yadier Molina and Skip Schumaker singled to load the bases, but Jake Westbrook struck out to end the threat.

David DeJesus started the third inning with a single, but was caught stealing by Yadi. Tony Campana grounded out, which was followed by singles by Starlin Castro and Bryan LaHair. Alfonso Soriano walked to load the bases, but Ian Stewart struck out to end the inning. The bottom of the third was uneventful for the Cardinals as Furcal, Jay, and Holliday were retired in order.

Darwin Barney hit a double in the fourth, but Soto, Dempster, and DeJesus were retired to end the inning and keep the game scoreless. Allen Craig struck out to begin the fourth. Berkman followed that up with a double, but was left on base after Freese and Molina grounded out.

Westbrook fell apart in the fifth inning. Campana singled to lead things off and then stole second. Starlin Castro scored Campana with a single, and then LaHair hit a home run to clear the bases. Soriano flew out to record the first out. Ian Stewart hit a double and then scored on a Soto single. Barney and Dempster were retired to end the inning, but the Cubs made the score 4-0. Schumaker grounded out and Dan Descalso hit for Westbrook, but popped out. Furcal struck out to end the inning with the Cardinals still scoreless.

Newly called up Eduardo Sanchez came in to relieve Westbrook and retired the side in order. Jay and Holliday started the sixth with consecutive singles, but Craig flew out to record the first out. Berkman hit a single to score Jon Jay. David Freese walked to load the bases, and Yadi cleared them with a double that scored Holliday and Berkman. Freese attempted to score but was called out at home. Schumaker hit a single to score Yadi, but a pinch-hitting Matt Carpenter struck out to end the inning after the Cards tied the game at 4-4.

Victor Marte came in to pitch in the seventh and started off by giving up a single to Bryan LaHair. LaHair stole second and reached third on a Soriano ground out. Ian Stewart struck out to record the second out and Darwin Barney was intentionally walked to load the bases. Reed Johnson then struck out to end the threat. Shawn Camp relieved Ryan Dempster and retired the side in order to keep the game knotted at four.

Mitchell Boggs came in to pitch the eighth and gave up a single to David DeJesus. Tony Campana reached on a field’er choice and advanced to second on a double play ball by Starlin Castro that erased DeJesus. LaHair was intentionally and then Campana scored on a Soriano single. Ian Stewart grounded out to end the inning, but the Cubs held the lead 5-4. Allen Craig hit a double to start the inning, but Berkman, Freese, and Molina were retired to end the inning.

Boggs began the ninth by hitting Soto with a pitch and then Darwin Barney reached base on a fielding error by Skip. Former Cardinal Joe Mather grounded into a fielder’s choice that erased Soto, but Barney scored from second on a throwing error by David Freese. DeJesus and Campana struck out to end the inning, but the Cubs scored the insurance run to make it 6-4. Rafael Dolis came in to close the game out for the Cubs. He struck out Schumaker, induced a pop up by a pinch-hitting Carlos Beltran, and stuck out Furcal to end the game.

Box Score

What’s On Tap?

The Cardinals hope to end their four game skid, as 5-1 Kyle Lohse takes the mound against 4-2 Paul Maholm. Lohse enters the game with a 2.08 ERA to counter Maholm’s 4.05. Game time is 12:45.