Marlins 8 – Cardinals 7

Complete Recap

With the series tied, the Cardinals turn to Chris Carpenter who pitched yet another close game but unfortunately the Cardinals weren’t able to hang in the end thanks to their four errors.

The first inning even provided early excitement, Chris Carpenter was being worked early on and often. The second batter he even faces, Emilio Bonifacio, hits a triple to allow Hanley Ramirez to record an RBI as the very next batter, 1-0 Marlins. Hanley even steals with the next batter at the plate and Yadi commits a throwing error allowing him to reach third. Gaby Sanchez ends up reaching on a fielders choice and Hanley ends up scoring on an error on behalf of Chris Carpenter, the top of the first ends 2-0.

The Cardinals start out the bottom half in a hole recording two straight outs to lead things off. Pujols then centers, Holliday singles, and Berkman popped up a routine fly but Bonifacio lets it eat him up in left field foul territory and both runners end up scoring, inning ends 2-2.

The third is when things started to heat up yet again. The Marlins just end up beating Carpenter around with hit after hit. They manage to load the bases and Chris Carpenter walks Gaby Sanchez, 3-2 Marlins. The next batter was Mike Stanton and this is where it really got uncomfortable. Mike Stanton grounds to Allen Craig who gets Bonifacio at home and Yadi throws the ball over Pujols into right field, now Hanley and Sanchez score, 5-2 Marlins. Before the end Infante hits one last single and Mike Stanton scores 6-2.

The bottom of the third Allen Craig doubles, Pujols walks, and Holliday singles to center to score Allen Craig 6-3. The very next batter is Lance Berkman and he perfectly plays a sac fly to left to end the inning 6-4.

To the bottom of the 6th. Colby walks, Yadi singles, and Descalso grounds out but Colby still scores, 6-5. Mark Hamilton then advances the runner and Ryan Theriot singles to send Descalso home, 6-6 is the score after 6 and Miguel Batista now takes over the mound.

Batista and Trever Miller take the game to the 9th and Eduardo Sanchez is the new pitcher in the top of the 9th.

Eduardo starts the 9th with a Hanley Ramirez walk, Gaby Sanchez strikes out, and Mike Stanton hits the games first HR and the score is now 8-6 Marlins. Eduardo then walks Scott Cousins, so he is pulled in favor of Mitchell Boggs who finishes the game for the Cardinals on the defensive end.

Leo Nunez comes on for the save opportunity and Jon Jay hits a HR to bring the score 8-7 to make the game even more interesting. Unfortunately that is all the Cardinals really get out in the bottom half and Nunez continues to be on a hot streak with his 11th save.

Winning Pitcher: Michael Dunn (2-1 : 0.00 ERA)

Losing Pitcher: Eduardo Sanchez (1-1 : 3.18 ERA)

Save: Leo Nunez (11 SV : 2.87 ERA)