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Rockies walk into a win against Cardinals

May 8, 2007 - 4:22 AM ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- The St. Louis Cardinals' offense is having trouble putting runs on the board. Their relievers are having trouble keeping runners on base.

Tyler Johnson walked in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning as the Cardinals dropped a 3-2 decision to the Colorado Rockies.

Colorado rookie Troy Tulowitzki appeared to give Colorado the lead in the top of the ninth, when his drive to left-center off Brian Falkenborg (0-1) glanced off the railing behind the left field wall and back into play. Replays showed it was clearly a homer, but the umpires conferred and did not reverse the call, leaving Tulowitzki at second with one out.

"You have everybody in the bullpen saying that it was a home run," Tulowitzki said. "It's kind of tough to believe it was a double but then again they're on my team. I was a little confused. If I get stranded on second or third, you start thinking about if it was really a home run. But since I scored and we won the game, it kind of evens everything out a little bit."

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle was thrown out of the game by second base umpire Bob Davidson for arguing the call.

"You would like to think that in the 21st century that somehow we could do something just to get the call right," Hurdle said. "It was the second one in three days so it's tough to swallow. It's a tough call, I'll give them that. The ball, the fans, the way the outfielders reacted. There was just too much that smelled like a home run for it not to be a home run."

Tulowitzki waited on second while Falkenborg (0-1) walked Matt Holliday before being replaced by the lefthander Johnson.

Johnson struck out the lefthanded-hitting Todd Helton for the second out before issuing righthanded-hitting Garrett Atkins an intentional pass even though runners were on first and second.

Lefthander Brad Hawpe worked the count to 3-2 before Johnson's sixth pitched missed, forcing in Tulowitzki from third with the decisive run.

Brian Fuentes escaped a jam in the bottom of the ninth for his eighth save in nine opportunities. Rockies reliever Zach McClellan (1-0) earned the win with a perfect eighth inning.

"Any save is a good save," Fuentes said. "It was very satisfying, as long as you get it done. Tonight it worked out."

It was another terrible offensive display by St. Louis, which has not scored more than three runs in a game since a 7-5 triumph over Cincinnati on April 26. The Cardinals are just 2-7 since.

Colorado opened the scoring in the second, when Helton led off the frame with a solo homer, his third blast this season. The slugging first baseman went 1-for-4, lowering his average to .389, second in the National League.

The Rockies added a run in the third when utilityman Omar Quintanilla led off with a single and came home on Tulowitzki's two-out double.

The Cardinals tied the score in the fourth. Aaron Miles led off with a walk and moved to third on So Taguchi's single. After Albert Pujols walked to load the bases, Scott Rolen flied out to left, leaving the bases loaded for Ryan Ludwick.

The 28-year-old Ludwick, who was appearing in just his second game with St. Louis, singled to center, plating Miles and cutting the Rockies' lead in half. Jim Edmonds followed with a groundout to the pitcher, scoring Taguchi with the tying run.

Anthony Reyes turned in his best outing of the season for St. Louis, yielding two runs and three hits in six innings. The 25-year-old righthander struck out five and did not issue a walk.

"My job is to keep us in the game," Reyes said. "If I have to take the losses, that's fine. As long as I go out there and give the team a quality start. I feel like every time I get stronger and things are working out with Dunc (pitching coach Dave Duncan). I'm trying to be consistent every outing. It was a little bit better than the last one."

Reyes entered Monday's contest having lost each of his previous five starts. Although he had yet to yield more than four earned runs in any outing, the Cardinals had managed a total of just six runs in his five starts.

"Another fine outing," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "The difference is that he didn't get the loss. He came very close to a win."

Colorado starter Jeff Francis matched Reyes pitch-for-pitch, surrendering two runs and four hits over seven frames. Francis struck out three and issued three walks.

"It was nice to to be able to feel like I can at least put the ball to the glove," Francis said. "I made a couple of big pitches when I needed to. I kind of built on the last game and tonight was another step forward."

It was the 26-year-old's finest start of the season as well. Francis had taken a loss in each of his last four outings, yielding 21 earned runs in 23 2/3 combined innings.