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Cardinals rally to even series

Oct 3, 2011 - 6:14 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Allen Craig tripled and scored the go- ahead run in the seventh inning, and the Cardinals used a strong bullpen effort to secure a 5-4 victory and even their National League Division Series at a game apiece.

St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter, pitching on three days' rest for the first time in his career, lasted only three innings and allowed four runs. But six pitchers combined to hold Philadelphia to one hit the rest of the way, giving the Cardinals' offense a chance to erase the deficit.

They did, scoring all five runs against Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee, including three in the fourth inning.

"Any time you give a starting pitcher a four-run lead in the first two innings, he's in a pretty good spot and that's the situation I was in," Lee said. "I somehow squandered it away."

Craig, starting in place of the injured Matt Holliday, began the seventh with the triple to center and scored on Albert Pujols' base hit. The run sent the Cardinals to the victory and gave them a chance to take the series lead Tuesday at home in Game 3.

Philadelphia rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the series opener on Saturday and put itself in a good position to win Game 2. The Phillies loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning, got three runs out of the situation and had Lee (0-1) on the mound.

But the left-hander, who entered Sunday's game with a 2.13 postseason ERA, couldn't hang on to the lead. He struck out nine and walked two in six-plus innings, but allowed 12 hits.

Four of them came in the fourth inning, which the Phillies entered holding a 4-0 lead. But Lee walked Lance Berkman, and a soft single toward second base by Yadier Molina put two on with one away.

Ryan Theriot then slapped a ball up the first base line to plate a run and leave runners on second and third. Jon Jay followed by singling through the right side to make it a 4-2 contest.

After Lee struck out pinch-hitter Nick Punto, Rafael Furcal dumped a ball into left field to get another run home. However, Raul Ibanez made a strong throw home to get Jay at the plate and keep the Phillies ahead.

But St. Louis tied the game two innings later. Theriot doubled with two away, and Jay followed with a base hit. Ibanez came up firing again, but his throw was too high and catcher Carlos Ruiz had to jump to catch the ball. That allowed Theriot to slide in safely and make it a 4-4 contest.

A chance play helped the Cardinals move ahead. Craig's fly ball to center hit Shane Victorino's glove and bounced away, allowing Craig to move to third with Pujols coming to the plate. The slugger had been 0-for-3, but hit a soft liner to left-center to get Craig home.

St. Louis failed to take advantage of a bases-loaded opportunity later in the inning, but its bullpen continued to excel. Octavio Dotel (1-0) and Marc Rzepczynski got the Cardinals through the seventh, which ended with Jimmy Rollins being picked off trying to steal second.

Chase Utley stayed in the box to be hit by a Rzepczynski pitch to start the eighth, but another host of pitching changes by Cardinals manager Tony La Russa worked out.

Mitchell Boggs got Hunter Pence to ground into a fielder's choice, Arthur Rhodes struck out Ryan Howard on a sweeping slider and Jason Motte got Victorino to fly out.

Motte worked a 1-2-3 ninth to secure the victory in front of a stunned Citizens Bank Park crowd, which watched the Phillies grab control before Carpenter had recorded even one out.

They had the bases loaded for Howard, who hit a ground ball that caromed off the mound and into center field to plate two runs. Ibanez's one-out single plated another run, but Placido Polanco grounded into a double play to end the inning.

"Mentally, in that first, I wasn't where I needed to be," Carpenter said. "I wasn't locating, and that's a lack of concentration. I wasn't controlling counts, I wasn't getting ahead in the counts. It's inexcusable."

Rollins began the first inning with a double off the wall in right, and kick- started another rally in the second when he smacked a ball off the top of the wall in right-center.

He then stole third and scored two batters later, when Pence singled to right.

But that was the last hit the Phillies had until the seventh inning. Carpenter finished his outing with a scoreless third and Fernando Salas followed by pitching two perfect innings. Dotel worked a 1-2-3 sixth.

Game Notes

Carpenter threw 64 pitches, and allowed five hits and three walks...The crowd of 46,575 was the largest ever at Citizens Bank Park...Game 3 is set to start at 5:07 p.m. (et). Cole Hamels is set to start for the Phillies, while Jaime Garcia will get the ball for the Cardinals.