Final/13
Pujols hits 400th, but Nats top Cards 11-10 in 13
Aug 27, 2010 - 10:56 AM By JOSEPH WHITE AP Sports WriterWASHINGTON(AP) -- The Washington Nationals aren't planning on any playoff celebrations this year, so they'll make do with moments like Thursday night's thrilling victory.
If the St. Louis Cardinals don't start beating last-place clubs, they won't have any postseason joy, either.
Ian Desmond singled home Nyjer Morgan in the bottom of the 13th inning and Washington overcame Albert Pujols' 400th home run in an 11-10 roller-coaster win over the Cardinals.
"I don't really know what big league playoff baseball feels like - I'm sure the atmosphere is a little bit more hectic - but that was a great-played game by both sides," said Desmond, who finished with four hits and three RBIs.
Morgan was hit by a pitch from Blake Hawksworth (4-8) while squaring to bunt leading off the 13th, then advanced to third on Alberto Gonzalez's one-out single. With the infield in, Desmond bounced a grounder up the middle to end the Nationals' four-game losing streak.
The Nationals used eight pitchers, the Cardinals seven, and Washington went through every position player available. There was at least one run scored in every inning from the second through the ninth. The Cardinals scored four in the top of the ninth to take a 10-8 lead, but Roger Bernadina's two-run homer to right-center off Ryan Franklin sent the game to extra innings. At one point, the clock and scoreboard were in sync: It was 10-10 at 10:10.
"That game had all the elements: comebacks from both clubs, timely hitting, good baserunning, good defense," Washington manager Jim Riggleman said. "It had a little bit of everything."
Doug Slaten (4-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the Nationals, who broke out of their offensive doldrums with 16 hits. Washington had been shut out three times in the past week.
It all capped what had already been a busy day at Nationals Park, with Washington introducing this year's No. 1 overall draft pick, Bryce Harper, and having an MRI performed on last year's No. 1 overall selection, Stephen Strasburg. His test results are to be released Friday.
Pujols hit his milestone homer leading off the fourth, but it couldn't stop a St. Louis slide that has come at an inopportune time in the playoff race. The Cardinals have lost three straight and eight of 11 - including a demoralizing two in a row to last-place Pittsburgh before arriving to play last-place Washington.
"We've got to win ballgames, that's what it comes down to," starting pitcher Chris Carpenter said. "It doesn't matter how we do it, whether it's 15-14 or 1-0, we've got to win ballgames, and unfortunately I didn't pitch well enough tonight to give my team a chance."
Pujols sent an 0-1 fastball from Jordan Zimmermann into the right-center seats to become the 47th major league player to reach 400 homers, and the third-youngest to do so. Pujols stood and admired the shot, then was mobbed by teammates when he returned to the dugout.
"It's a special milestone," Pujols said, "but I don't play for numbers."
The slugger also hurt his right ankle in the bottom of the 10th when he tried to plant his foot on the tarp to reach for a foul ball near the first base dugout. He stayed in the game but was uncertain he would be able to play Friday.
"It's pretty sore right now," Pujols said. "It was pretty scary."
Looking to shake things up, Riggleman canceled regular batting practice and had his players hit in the indoor cage instead. He also shuffled the lineup, putting Adam Kennedy at leadoff for the first time this season, moving Morgan to second and Desmond to fifth.
It seemed to pay off. Every player in the starting lineup except the pitcher had at least one hit.
Zimmermann made his first major league start after having elbow ligament replacement surgery 12 months ago. A premier prospect before he got hurt, he allowed five runs and seven hits over four innings.
Carpenter, another pitcher who came back from Tommy John surgery, allowed 10 hits over six innings. He gave up six runs, but only three were earned because of shortstop Felipe Lopez's throwing error in the third.
NOTES: Alex Rodriguez is the youngest player to get to 400 homers, having done so at 29 years, 316 days. Ken Griffey Jr. reached the benchmark at 30 years, 141 days. Pujols reached it at 30 years, 222 days. ... The Nationals said OF Josh Willingham should be recovered in four to six weeks from surgery on his left knee. Willingham had the operation Wednesday and will not play again this season. ... 3B Pedro Feliz has hit safely in all seven games since he was traded to the Cardinals from Houston.
- NL
FINAL 13
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- - - - - - - - -
ST LOUIS 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 1 4
WASHINGTON 0 0 3 0 1 2 2 0 2
10 11 12 13 R H E
-- -- -- -- - - -
ST LOUIS 0 0 0 0 10 14 1
WASHINGTON 0 0 0 1 11 16 0 (FINAL 13)
BATTERIES: ST
Aug 26 11:43 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY IAN DESMOND SCORED NYJER MORGAN
FINAL SCORE - WASHINGTON 11, ST LOUIS 10.
Cardinals 10, Nationals 11 Bot 13, 0 OutsAug 26 11:42 PM - 228
roots - 217
roots - 206
roots - 195
roots - 185
roots - 174
roots - 150
roots - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY ROGER BERNADINA (9) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH
1 OUT IN THE 9TH OFF RYAN FRANKLIN SCORED ALBERTO
GONZALEZ.
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 10, WASHINGTON 10
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: I RODRIGUEZ (.272, 2-FOR-3, BB)
Cardinals 10, Nationals 10 Bot 9, 0 OutsAug 26 10:11 PM - 130
roots - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RANDY WINN SCORED ALBERT PUJOLS AND BRENDAN RYAN
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, R WINN ON FIRST, M HOLLIDAY ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 10
WASHINGTON 8 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: Y MOLINA (.261, 1-FOR-3, HBP)
Cardinals 10, Nationals 8 Top 9, 0 OutsAug 26 9:59 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
HIT BY PITCH BY MATT HOLLIDAY SCORED AARON MILES
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, M HOLLIDAY ON FIRST, A PUJOLS ON SECOND, B
RYAN ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 8
WASHINGTON 8 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: R WINN (.255, 2-FOR-4, RBI)
Cardinals 8, Nationals 8 Top 9, 0 OutsAug 26 9:53 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY BRENDAN RYAN SCORED PEDRO FELIZ
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B RYAN ON SECOND, A MILES ON THIRD, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 7
WASHINGTON 8 TOP,9TH
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: J JAY (.346, 0-FOR-4)
Cardinals 7, Nationals 8 Top 9, 0 OutsAug 26 9:46 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RANDY WINN SCORED ALBERT PUJOLS
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R WINN ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 6
WASHINGTON 8 TOP,8TH
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: Y MOLINA (.262, 1-FOR-2, HBP)
Cardinals 6, Nationals 8 Top 8, 0 OutsAug 26 9:24 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY WILLIE HARRIS SCORED IAN DESMOND AND RYAN
ZIMMERMAN
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, W HARRIS ON FIRST, I RODRIGUEZ ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 5
WASHINGTON 8 BOTTOM,7TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: J PERALTA (.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
Cardinals 5, Nationals 8 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 26 9:11 PM - NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
ST LOUIS 0 1 0 4 0 0 5 7 1
WASHINGTON 0 0 3 0 1 2 6 10 0 (TOP 7)
CURRENT PITCHERS: STL - CHRIS CARPENTER
WAS - CRAIG STAMMEN (OUT)
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: C CARPENTER (.105, 0-FOR-2)
B RYAN (.224, 2 HR, 26 RBI)
J JAY (.347, 0-FOR-3)
Cardinals 5, Nationals 6 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 26 8:50 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY MICHAEL MORSE SCORED ROGER BERNADINA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, W HARRIS ON FIRST, I RODRIGUEZ ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 5
WASHINGTON 5 BOTTOM,6TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: A KENNEDY (.262, 1-FOR-3)
Cardinals 5, Nationals 5 Bot 6, 0 OutsAug 26 8:48 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY ADAM DUNN SCORED NYJER MORGAN
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R ZIMMERMAN ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 5
WASHINGTON 4 BOTTOM,5TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: I DESMOND (.277, 2-FOR-2, 2 RBI)
Cardinals 5, Nationals 4 Bot 5, 0 OutsAug 26 8:32 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY FELIPE LOPEZ SCORED YADIER MOLINA
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, P FELIZ ON SECOND, S SCHUMAKER ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 5
WASHINGTON 3 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: J JAY (.349, 0-FOR-2)
Cardinals 5, Nationals 3 Top 4, 0 OutsAug 26 8:10 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY SKIP SCHUMAKER SCORED RANDY WINN AND MATT
HOLLIDAY
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, S SCHUMAKER ON FIRST, Y MOLINA ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 4
WASHINGTON 3 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: P FELIZ (.232, 0-FOR-1)
Cardinals 4, Nationals 3 Top 4, 0 OutsAug 26 8:03 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY ALBERT PUJOLS (34) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF JORDAN ZIMMERMANN.
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 2, WASHINGTON 3
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: M HOLLIDAY (.300, 0-FOR-1)
Cardinals 2, Nationals 3 Top 4, 0 OutsAug 26 7:57 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY IAN DESMOND SCORED ADAM DUNN AND RYAN ZIMMERMAN
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, I DESMOND ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 1
WASHINGTON 3 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: R BERNADINA (.264, 0-FOR-1)
Cardinals 1, Nationals 3 Bot 3, 0 OutsAug 26 7:53 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RYAN ZIMMERMAN SCORED ADAM KENNEDY
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R ZIMMERMAN ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 1
WASHINGTON 1 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: A DUNN (.259, 0-FOR-1)
Cardinals 1, Nationals 1 Bot 3, 0 OutsAug 26 7:49 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY SKIP SCHUMAKER SCORED YADIER MOLINA
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, S SCHUMAKER ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 1
WASHINGTON 0 TOP,2ND
DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: P FELIZ (.232, 4 HR, 33 RBI)
Cardinals 1, Nationals 0 Top 2, 0 OutsAug 26 7:23 PM
Related News
- Tuesday Open Thread Dec 26
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Getting more pitching in 2024 + more... Dec 26
- Vote on the Cardinals next best prospect - 2024 Dec 25
- Cardinals in the Lab: Offseason Tracker Dec 24
- What Would You Do With $33M? (An Open Thread Discussion) Dec 23
- John Mozeliak has not closed the door on the Cardinals adding a starting pitcher Dec 22
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Keibert Ruiz, CS% and more… Dec 22
- Vote on the Cardinals’ best prospect - 2024 Dec 21
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Stephen Strasburg retirement?; 40-man spot + more... Dec 21
- Let’s Argue! The Cardinals Lineup Dec 20
- Pulled Fly Balls: An Area For Growth Dec 19
- Washington Nationals news & notes: Joey Meneses & DH duties vs playing the field… Dec 19