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Victorino caps late rally as Phillies edge Cardinals

Aug 4, 2008 - 5:29 AM ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Despite an incredible three-game set from Ryan Ludwick, it was the home run of a "Flying Hawaiian" that gave the Philadelphia Phillies just enough to get an important series win.

Shane Victorino slammed a three-run homer to cap an eighth-inning rally Sunday, powering the Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Trailing 2-1 with two outs in the eighth, the Phillies took their first lead of the game off Jaime Garcia (0-1), getting two runners on after Ryan Howard's single.

Following a pitching change, Pat Burrell knotted the score with an RBI single off Russ Springer before Victorino - a native of Hawaii dubbed the "Flying Hawaiian" for his incredible speed - belted a 3-1 fastball down the right field line for a three-run shot, his 10th of the season.

Victorino had entered as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement for Geoff Jenkins one inning earlier.

"In this game, you're going to get in there somehow and I knew to be ready," Victorino said. "I was just trying to get a ball I could drive basically. I put a good swing on it and I was lucky enough to hit it out."

The Cardinals' bullpen is tied for the major league-worst with 24 losses and has a major league-high 26 blown saves after this setback.

Chad Durbin (4-2) allowed a run in the seventh to get the win, but not before the Cardinals mounted a threat in the eighth. But after Ryan Madson walked Albert Pujols to load the bases with one out, the righthander forced Ryan Ludwick into a rally-killing 5-4-3 double play.

"We lost the series and could have picked up ground tonight," Ludwick said. "We had our opportunities; I had an opportunity. (A) groundball double play (in that situation) is unacceptable. If I was in the zone, I would have got the job done."

"It's a tough at-bat every time, but you know you bear down on those good hitters and make a good pitch," Madson said. "And that's what I did with Ludwick tonight because I know he's hot."

While disappointed in defeat, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa - as he has most of the season - praised the never-say-die spirit of his team.

"I feel terrific about the way we competed in the end," La Russa said. "We almost pulled it off. It was really a tough loss."

Staked to a 5-3 lead, closer Brad Lidge surrendered Troy Glaus' solo shot to open the ninth and allowed consecutive singles and drilled Cesar Izturis with a pitch to load the bases with one out. But the righthander recovered in time to strike out the next two batters to collect his 28th save in as many chances this season.

"They're never easy you know," Lidge said. "With a one-run game there, I had to go with my best stuff and I was able to get out of it. ... Izturis does a good job putting the ball in play and, when he was up there, we went with a fastball.

"One (pitch) got away from me and then with the bases loaded and those two guys coming up (rookies Nick Stavinoha and Joe Mather), I felt confident I was going to get out of it. I respect those two guys that came up, but I knew that I hadn't faced them before and I felt good about what I was going to do."

Philadelphia (61-50) took advantage of losses earlier in the day by Florida (59-53) and the New York Mets (58-53) to increase its lead in the National League Central to 2 1/2 games. After an off-day on Monday, the Phillies host a three-game series against the Marlins.

"This was very big especially with the situation that we're going to be in coming up against the second-place team in the division," Victorino said. "It was definitely a nice way to end the road trip."

Early in the game, it appeared Ludwick would not only supply most of the offense in this game, but also continue his series-long domination of Philadelphia.

Ludwick led off the second with a double and scored one batter later on an RBI single from Troy Glaus before pounding a first-pitch fastball from Phillies starter Brett Myers into the seats in left-center for his 27th home run of the season.

Ludwick batted .636 (7-for-11) with four homers for the series.