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Larue lifts Looper, Cardinals over Marlins

Aug 14, 2008 - 3:42 AM By Christopher Stock PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MIAMI (Ticker) -- Jason LaRue delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh inning and the St. Louis Cardinals held on for a 6-4 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Adam Kennedy also drove in two runs and Troy Glaus had four hits for the Cardinals, who pounded out 18 hits.

"We got the leadoff man on quite a bit and a lot of innings we didn't score and that usually comes back to burn you, but we kept doing it and scored a couple of times," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "Guys worked their at-bats, we try hard, and tonight we were pretty good."

Former Marlin Braden Looper (11-9) picked up the win as he pitched seven solid innings and allowed two runs - one earned - five hits and one walk. He struck out five while throwing 62 of his 93 pitches for strikes.

"Right now, I feel as good physically as I have all year," Looper said. "It starts with that and mentally right now, I am in a good spot where I feel I can go out there and make my pitches every time. A couple mistakes that I made didn't cost me."

Renyel Pinto (2-4) relieved Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco in the seventh and gave up a lead-off single to Skip Schumaker. Albert Pujols followed with a single, but Pinto was able to get the next two batters out. Joe Nelson relieved Pinto and walked Glaus. LaRue then cracked the two-run double, which gave the Cardinals a 4-2 advantage.

"I thought we were going to get out of there in the seventh, but LaRue got us with a big double," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Nolasco pitched six innings allowing two runs and 10 hits. He struck out five.

"I had a lot of runners on base and I tried to limit the damage and make pitches," Nolasco said. "It was a battle and to keep us close, I was just trying to do my job."

Schumaker added an insurance run in the eighth with an RBI single.

In the bottom of the eighth, Jorge Cantu delivered an RBI single and Mike Jacobs followed with an RBI double to pull the Marlins within 5-4. Chris Perez relieved Kyle McClellan and walked Dan Uggla to load the bases for Josh Willingham, who grounded into an inning-ending double play.

"Coach (Marty) Mason told me when I faced Dan Uggla to not be afraid to walk him and get a ground ball on the next guy," Perez said. "It kind of worked out that way. I threw an okay pitch to Willingham and luckily he hit it to third."

Glaus doubled in a run in the ninth after Felipe Lopez tripled to cap the scoring for the Cardinals.

Perez pitched a scoreless ninth to record his third save.

Mike Jacobs and Hanley Ramirez each had RBI singles for the Marlins.