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Colvin sends Cubs over Cards in extras

Aug 20, 2011 - 1:29 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Tyler Colvin's game-winning, pinch-hit single in the 10th inning capped a 5-4 comeback victory by the Cubs over the Cardinals to open a three-game set at Wrigley Field.

The win came just hours after the Cubs fired long-time general manager Jim Hendry. Hendry had been the GM since July 5, 2002 and was the third longest- tenured GM in the National League. He was replaced on an interim basis by assistant GM Randy Bush.

"I think he did a great job. We made the playoffs three times," Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez said about Hendry. "It's just that lately we haven't been getting it done."

The hit made a winner out of Sean Marshall (6-5), who tossed a perfect top of the inning to lead the streaking Cubs to a 12-5 record in August.

Octavio Dotel (0-2) allowed the game-deciding run in the Cardinals' fourth loss in six games.

Randy Wells went seven innings for Chicago, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five, and Jaime Garcia allowed three runs on nine hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings in the start for St. Louis.

Geovany Soto greeted Dotel in the 10th with a base hit to right field. After Marlon Byrd laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Soto on second, Colvin slapped an 0-2 fastball into center field. Jon Jay made a throw towards home, but it was short and late, reaching the plate after Soto had already slid safely for the game-deciding run.

"It's a disparaging loss. If we added a run once or twice, then you have room for a missed play, some fluke to beat you, or something real to beat you because they did some good things," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.

St. Louis jumped ahead early with a three-run second inning. Lance Berkman worked a one-out walk and was followed two batters later by a Yadier Molina home run into the bleachers in left-center field. Ryan Theriot followed with a double and crossed the plate on Garcia's base hit up the middle.

Chicago answered with a run in the third. Starlin Castro reached first on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on a Reed Johnson groundout and came home on Ramirez's single to left.

But the Cardinals got that run back in their next at-bat on David Freese's solo shot to right, making it a 4-1 game.

Darwin Barney started Chicago's comeback when he led off the fifth inning with his second home run of the year.

With one out in the seventh, Barney sent a triple into the right-field corner that went just past the outstretched glove of Berkman. Pinch- hitter Blake DeWitt followed with a liner to center that Jay initially broke in on, but then stopped and turned around as the ball flew over his head for an RBI triple, knocking Garcia out of the game.

Jason Motte took the hill next and fanned Castro before inducing a groundout to short by Johnson to keep it a 4-3 contest.

After Arthur Rhodes walked pinch-hitter Carlos Pena in the eighth, Kyle McClellan allowed a Soto double down the third-base line, allowing Pena to round the bases and knot the game at four.

Game Notes

Castro's single in the first inning was the 300th hit of his career, making him one of five Cubs since 1876 to collect at least 300 hits in their first two big league seasons. He joined Bill Dahlen (1891-92), Bill Everitt (1895-96), Glenn Beckert (1965-66) and Mark Grace (1988-89)...It was the largest attendance for a Cubs' game at Wrigley Field in over 30 years with a crowd of 42,343...St. Louis tied a season high with four double plays in the game...Chicago is now 45-26 when scoring at least four runs this year.