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Rolen, Cardinals salvage series in Chicago

Aug 21, 2007 - 12:43 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The St. Louis Cardinals needed this game and they got it.

Scott Rolen drove in three runs and Albert Pujols homered as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Chicago Cubs, 6-4, on Monday in the finale of an abbreviated four-game series.

Rick Ankiel also homered for the Cardinals, who had lost the first two games of the series prior to Sunday night's rainout here. With the victory, St. Louis improved their standing in the NL Central Division race, moving back to within three games of the front-running Cubs. The second-place Milwaukee Brewers, who play later Monday at Arizona, are one-half game behind the Cubs.

"If we come in here and play poorly we are done," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "(A 4-2 record) on this road trip is solid. What we have done is put ourselves in a position to start our (six-game homestand Tuesday) having some fun."

The Cardinals wasted no time getting to starter Ted Lilly (13-6) as Brendan Ryan opened the game with a single and advanced to third on a double by Ankiel.

Lilly had a chance a chance to escape the jam after inducing back-to-back popouts from Pujols and Juan Encarnacion, but Scott Rolen drove in both baserunners with a double down the left field line.

"My first at-bat is where I really needed to compete," Rolen said. "I'm glad that I was able to do that. Obviously this is a big win, it's the team we are chasing. We didn't want to lose two out of three."

After the Cubs erased the deficit in the second inning on back-to-back home runs by Daryle Ward and Mark DeRosa the Cardinals regained the two-run edge in their next at-bat.

Lilly issued a one-out walk to Pujols who advanced to third when Encarnacion doubled moments later. Rolen followed with a seemingly harmless chopper down the third base line, but the bouncer turned into an RBI double to left when third baseman Aramis Ramirez was eaten up by the ball. Jim Edmonds followed with an RBI groundout.

"That's a play that I normally would make," Ramirez said. "I slipped on the wet field, I got a long hop and when I tried to stop, the ball went right by me."

Ramirez made up for his fielding miscue with an RBI single off starter Joel Pineiro (3-1) in the bottom of the inning to pull Chicago within 4-3. The Cubs had a chance for more runs, with runners on the corners, but Ward grounded into an inning-ending double-play.

Pineiro pitched five innings to earn his third consecutive win for St. Louis, which acquired him July 30 from Boston. The righthander allowing three runs, seven hits and did not walk a batter while striking out three.

"The key was the defense the guys played behind me on a wet field," Pineiro said. "Our defense picked me up all day, the home runs I gave up at least were solo shots."

Pujols continued his hot hitting in the fifth as he connected for his 28th home run of the season. It was the third solo home run of this series for the St. Louis slugger who is 13-for-28 in his last seven games.

Reliever Troy Percival replaced Pineiro to start the sixth and Derrek Lee hit the righthander's first pitch into the center field bleachers for his 14th home run of the season.

"Were not concerned with home runs, when you win they are great but today it didn't work out," Lee said. "All that matters right now is how we can scratch out wins."

After recording the first out of the inning, Percival gave way to Randy Flores who promptly allowed a double to Ward, putting the tying run in scoring position. La Russa immediately replaced Flores with Ryan Franklin who got DeRosa to ground out, though Ward moved to third base on the play.

Matt Murton drew a walk before Franklin induced a flyout from Jason Kendall to end the threat.

Following the Cardinals' next at-bat, in which Ankiel connected for his fourth longball of the year, the teams sat through an 87-minute rain delay. The stoppage did little to disrupt Franklin, who tossed a scoreless seventh when the game resumed.

"Franklin was outstanding," La Russa said. "To come back out for us after that rain delay and get three more outs was big. Since he was rested he was going back in, he had to do whatever it took to go back out there."

The Cubs put runners on first and second against closer Jason Isringhausen in the eighth, but DeRosa grounded into a double play to end the frame. Isringhausen pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 23rd save of the season.

Lilly, who came in 9-1 in his last 12 starts, had his second consecutive rocky outing allowing five runs, seven hits and three walks while striking out three in six innings. In his last start on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds, he did not get a decision but gave up six runs in five innings during an 11-9 loss.

"We went out and scored enough runs to win the game," Lilly said. "It's a situation I feel I have to take advantage of, the offense has done it's part and I have to be responsible to go out there and go deeper in the game."