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Miles hits walk-off grand slam as Cardinals sweep Padres

Jul 20, 2008 - 11:38 PM By Jim Walsh PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Aaron Miles' walk-off grand slam erased a blown save by Jason Isringhausen and propelled the St. Louis Cardinals to a 9-5 victory and a four-game sweep of the San Diego Padres on Sunday.

With one out in the ninth inning, Albert Pujols drew a walk and advanced to third when Padres catcher Luke Carlin threw the ball into right field trying to nail Pujols after a missed sacrifice by pitcher Brad Thompson.

"We really had the momentum on our side goingg into that inning," Carlin said. "I just made a mental mistake, I've got to hold on to the ball there. I tried to be overly aggressive and unfortunately it hurt us."

Yadier Molina pinch hit for Thompson and was intentionally walked along with Skip Schumaker to load the bases for Miles, who sent a 2-1 pitch from Brian Corey (1-2) into the Cardinals bullpen in right for his second career grand slam and first career walk-off homer.

"Aaron Miles hits a grand slam? Fantasy Island," said St. Louis manager Tony La Russa, whose team moved a season-high 14 games over .500 with their fifth straight win. "He is just a tough competitor. The situation didn't scare him, evidently."

Ending the game with his 15th career long ball was farthest from the mind of the five-foot-eight Miles.

"Put bat on ball and preferably get something up to hit," Miles said. "(Corey) has a pretty good sinker, so that's all I'm really trying to do."

Troy Glaus looked to be the Cardinals hero in the eighth, when he connected for a three-run home run off of Heath Bell to give St. Louis a 5-3 lead.

"It was a fastball up," Glaus said. "Heath has a real good fastball and with a runner on second base I was just trying to get on top and put a good swing on it and hopefully drive him in and tie the game up, fortunately it went out."

It was the third homer of the series and fifth in the last six games for Glaus, who is hitting .528 (19-for-36) during his current nine-game hitting streak.

Isringhausen was called upon to get his first save for the Cardinals since May 5 but the former closer was unable to shut the door, allowing a one-out single to Scott Hairston in front of a RBI double from Edgar Gonzalez to bring the Padres within one.

Brian Giles followed with a single to place runners on first and third and knock Isringhausen out of the game. Thompson (2-2) was brought in to face Kevin Kouzmanoff, who lined a double to center to knot the score at 5-5 and place runners on second and third.

Chase Headley was intentionally walked to load the bases before Thompson got Carlin to ground into a force out at the plate, and Adrian Gonzalez to line out to first to end the threat.

San Diego starter Cha Seung Baek was strong for 6 1/3 innings in the 95-degree heat, allowing two runs - one earned - while scattering six hits with a walk and three strikeouts. The righthander retired 13 of 14 batters through the sixth inning before tiring in the seventh.

"Baek threw well," Padres manager Bud Black said. "To hold this lineup down, especially the guys in the middle of the order, he did a very good job. You can't ask more than that on a day like today."

Baek also contributed at the plate, connecting for his first major league home run, a two-run shot traveling 403 feet to the left-center field bleachers, to give the Padres a 3-1 edge in the fifth. It was only the second hit in 11 at-bats for the South Korean since coming to San Diego in June in a trade with Seattle.

Making his first major league start since being called up from Class AAA Memphis July 11, Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia was sharp for the most part over his five innings. The 22-year old lefthander, who set down 10 straight batters during one stretch, allowed three runs, five hits and a walk to go with four strikeouts.

La Russa critiqued the youngest Cardinals pitcher to start a game since Bud Smith in 2001.

"I think he showed his potential," La Russa said. "He also showed he's a young, improving ... needs to learn and get experience."

Hairston had three hits, including his 15th home run leading off the game, for the Padres, who lost their sixth straight.

"We've got to keep playing," Black said. "You saw us come back after going two runs down in the ninth, that can be demoralizing, but I think you saw our team can bounce back."