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Glaus' walk-off helps Cards rally past Mets

Jul 3, 2008 - 6:07 AM By Jim Walsh PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Troy Glaus' second home run of the game in the bottom of ninth inning lifted the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-7 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday.

With two outs, Glaus belted a 3-2 fastball from reliever Carlos Muniz (0-1) just over the left field wall for his fifth career walk-off homer. It capped the 26th career multi-homer game for the 31-year old veteran, who also blasted a three-run shot during a four-run first inning.

"When you've played as long as he has, you're going to get something like that," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "He takes a good swing in a clutch situation. He's done a heck of a job for us."

"It was a nice win," Glaus said. "We've had some big hits here lately at home. Those wins feel good and hopefully (will) help catapult us here forward."

Rick Ankiel hit a solo home run and pinch hitter Chris Duncan belted a game-tying, two-run shot in the eighth for St. Louis. Ryan Franklin (3-2) pitched a perfect ninth to notch the victory for the Cardinals, who won for the fourth time in their last five games.

"Just a huge win," said Ankiel, who is tied with Albert Pujols for the team lead with 17 homers. "To come back and battle right there, Duncan with the big at-bat and then Troy to win it, it's just a huge win for us."

Damion Easley had three hits and three RBI, while Jose Reyes and David Wright contributed three hits apiece for the Mets, who had won nine of the previous 12 meetings between the teams. New York fell to 7-8 under interim manager Jerry Manuel.

St. Louis built an early lead, recording five hits and scoring four runs off Pedro Martinez in the first inning.

However, Martinez was able to turn things around as he retired 12 of the next 14 batters, giving the Mets a chance to get back into the contest. Ankiel's home run in the fifth was the only other run the Cardinals mustered off the three-time Cy Young Award winner.

"I made some adjustments," Martinez said. "I got more aggressive, challenging the hitters, and I was trying not to think too much out there and get a feel for the game. That was probably the difference between the first inning and the rest of the game."

Martinez, who returned after a 47-minute rain delay, allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings with four strikeouts and one walk.

The Mets mounted their first comeback of the night with three runs in the third and one in the fourth, then took a 7-5 lead with three in the seventh. Carlos Delgado delivered an RBI single, Easley hit a sacrifice fly and pinch hitter Fernando Tatis capped the big frame with a run-scoring base hit.

"We showed we want to compete," Manuel said. "I applauded them for it, for the effort they gave tonight. We just came up short."

Working his second inning of relief, Aaron Heilman hit Ryan Ludwick with a pitch to begin the eighth and left in favor of Pedro Feliciano. Duncan tied the game at 7-7 by belting Feliciano's first offering over the right-center field wall.

"A lot of courage in the Cardinals to hang in there," La Russa said. "Chris got us going, then Troy with two outs, nobody on. Justice doesn't come always, but today there was."