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Cardinals use 10-run fifth to batter Athletics

Jun 17, 2007 - 6:15 AM OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The St. Louis Cardinals got back off the mat after being knocked out on Friday.

The Cardinals erupted for 10 runs in the fifth inning and clobbered the Oakland Athletics, 15-6, on Saturday.

On Friday, St. Louis was thrashed by Oakland, 14-3, in Cardinals manager Tony La Russa's first game back against his former team in McAfee Coliseum. St. Louis took an early three-run lead, but gave up 12 runs in two innings in the beating.

The Athletics followed a similar script on Saturday.

With the Cardinals leading, 5-3, in the fifth, Juan Encarnacion led off the frame against Oakland reliever Julio Lugo with a double and reached third on a throwing error by shortstop Bobby Crosby. Scott Rolen walked, and after Ryan Ludwick flew out to right field, Aaron Miles lined a single to right, plating Encarnacion for a 6-3 cushion.

Kelly Stinnett followed with an RBI double to right and Brendan Ryan drove in a run with an infield hit. So Taguchi belted an RBI double to right plating Ryan and Stinnett for a 10-3 bulge.

"We put up a lot of really good at-bats," La Russa said. "We moved the ball all over the field and didn't try to do too much."

After Scott Spiezio, who was forced into a relief role in Friday's drubbing, was hit by a pitch, Taguchi scored on Juan Encarnacion's ground ball to short.

"I think it was a good game for us," Taguchi said. "We got good pitching and everybody hit. It's a good sign when everyone contributes like we did tonight."

Rolen walked to load the bases and the stage for pinch hitter Chris Duncan, who then belted a 1-0 offering off Kiko Calero into the right field seats for a grand slam and a 15-3 lead.

"I wasn't seeing the ball too well early on," Duncan said. "I felt like I was a little jumpy with my at-bats. Lately, I've been able to slow things down a little and get some good swings on the ball."

For Duncan, it was his first career grand slam and eighth pinch-hit home run. It also was the first pinch-hit grand slam for the Cardinals since Bobby Bonilla against the Chicago White Sox on June 15, 2001.

"It felt good," Duncan said. "It was my first one, so I was definitely excited."

The 10 runs allowed in the frame were the most by Oakland since it also yielded 10 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on May 25, 2005.

Mark Ellis belted a three-run shot - his sixth - in the bottom of the inning off St. Louis reliever Randy Flores to cut the lead to 15-6 and complete the scoring.

Nick Swisher belted a solo shot over the right field wall in the third inning to halve the deficit to 4-2. It was Swisher's 10th home run of the year and just his first in June.

Taguchi matched his career high with four RBI and Ryan, who was recalled from Class AAA Memphis prior to the game, singled in the fifth for his first major league hit.

"I hope that David (Eckstein) gets better soon," Ryan said. "But until he gets back, I'm going to do everything I can to help the team."

Encarnacion extended his hitting streak to a team- and season-high 16 games in the victory.

St. Louis starter Todd Wellemeyer, who picked up his second win of the season while pitching a career-high 5 1/3 innings in his last start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, yielded six runs six hits in 3 1/3 innings before being replaced by Flores.

"I'll take it any day," Wellemeyer said. "I wish I could have at least gone longer than five, but that's a good team, and they are very disciplined up there. Even when you get ahead of them, it's still a battle."

Oakland starter Lenny DiNardo, who tossed a career-high six scoreless innings against San Francisco in his previous start, was tagged for five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. The lefthander had allowed just one earned run in 17 1/3 frames in three previous starts this season.

"I never found a rhythm," DiNardo said. "I couldn't get ahead of hitters and when I did, I couldn't put them away. That's basically it."