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Schumaker's walk-off blast lifts Cardinals past Cubs

May 3, 2008 - 5:35 AM ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Skip Schumaker's two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Yadier Molina drove in two runs and Rick Ankiel scored a pair for the Cardinals, who won their third game in a row.

Aaron Miles led off the 11th with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch before scampering to third on Brendan Ryan's sacrifice. Schumaker then drove the first pitch he saw from Chad Fox (0-1) over the wall in right-center field to give the Cardinals the win.

"Miles did his job and Brendan did his job," Schumaker said. "I got a guy on third with less than two outs and I tried to hit a fly ball, and it worked out for me. Our pitchers have been giving us a chance to win these games, and I'm glad we got a run across."

It was the second homer of the season and fifth career for Schumaker, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the fourth inning.

"This is incredible," Schumaker said. "I was just happy that I got enough of it to win the game. It's kind of icing on the cake when it hit off the fence and over. I was pretty pumped up."

"If you hang it, they're going to get you," said Fox, who was making his first major league appearance since 2005 after being brought up from the minors earlier Friday. "I'm not going to sit here and make an excuse - I didn't do my job. I should have stepped off and tried to compose myself, realizing that I had first base open. There's a time and place to be aggressive and throwing strikes. I could have seen if I could get him to chase a couple, but what is done is done. Once you throw, it's over and you have to let it go."

Alfonso Soriano's two-run blast off Jason Isringhausen in the ninth tied the contest at 3-3 and redeemed the perennial All-Star for a pair of miscues in the field that led to a run. Soriano - playing in just his second game after missing three weeks with a calf injury - also drove in the Cubs' first run with a fielder's choice.

Cubs starter Rich Hill recorded just two outs, allowing one run while walking four batters. The 28-year-old lefthander has not allowed more than three runs in any of his five starts this season but has struggled with his command, walking at least three in each outing.

"You just have to forget about it, that's it," Hill said. "The only reason we lost that game was my inability to throw strikes. It's embarrassing to go out there and throw the ball that way and know that you can throw the ball far better than that. The best way to get over it is to forget about it and move on."

The bullpen stepped up in Hill's absence but finally ran out of gas as it was pushed into its 10th inning of duty. Six relievers combined to allow four runs - three earned - in 9 2/3 frames.

"Hill can't start like this in the big leagues, come on," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "Every time he pitches, it's an adventure. He's doing his best, but we have no bullpen. I don't know what the solution is, but I can't start him anymore."

The late-game heroics by Schumaker overshadowed another stellar outing from St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright, who allowed one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings while walking one and striking out five.

"It sets the tone for the series," Wainwright said. "It's a huge win for us tonight. I felt good and strong."

Ron Villone (1-0) allowed one hit over the final 2 1/3 innings to pick up the win.