What a Game!

After rolling Dice K in yesterday’s romping of the Red Sox, the Cardinals were going for the sweep today at Fenway.  With Joel Pineiro and Jon Lester as the scheduled starters, and Albert Pujols and David Ortiz on the DL, who’d have guessed we were in for such an entertaining game.

The two starting pitchers matched each other frame after frame, shutting out the offenses for five innings a piece, before Brian Barton and Ryan Ludwick each drove in a run for the Cardinals in the sixth.  The Sox took the lead in the eighth after a lead-off triple, a sac fly, a base hit, and three walks.  Chris Perez was charged with the blown save.  I remember feeling bad for Pineiro, and thinking that was the end.  Surely, the Cards wouldn’t stand a chance in the ninth against Jonathan Papelbon.

A pinch hitting Chris Duncan drew the first walk of the season issued by Papelbon at home.  Then perhaps the most unlikely candidate for heroism, Adam Kennedy, drove in Duncan with a pinch hit double.  Game tied!

The relief team of Russ Springer, Kyle McClellan, Jason Isringhausen, and Ron Villone each pitched a scoreless inning despite giving the Red Sox plenty of opportunities for a walk-off win.  The ninth through twelfth innings had a desperate, playoff feel.  I was on the edge of my seat for each of the bottom halves.

Kevin Youkilis hit a two run homer off of Mike Parisi in the bottom of the thirteenth to win it for Boston.  It was his second home run of the day.  5-3 was the final.  Here’s the complete box score.

Sure, it would have been much nicer if the Cardinals would have won it, but I enjoyed the loss more than any other loss in recent memory.  The game was intense.  Very intense.  Here we are still a few weeks away from the All-Star break, and an interleague game feels like game seven of the World Series.

This one had everything.  From great pitching, too poor pitching.  From spectacular defense, to some routine misplays.  From small ball to long ball.  All day, both managers tried to outwit one another.  It had that October excitement throughout.

Up next, the Cardinals head to Detroit to start a three game series with the Tigers.  I don’t know what’s in store, but it’s going to be damn near impossible to top this one.