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Ramirez belts three-run homer to lead Marlins over Cardinals

Aug 13, 2008 - 5:15 AM By Christopher Stock PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MIAMI (Ticker) -- Hanley Ramirez hit a three-run homer and the Florida Marlins withstood a rain delay of nearly two hours to notch a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

Ramirez's three-run blast off St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse in the second inning proved to be enough for the Marlins (63-57), who bounced back after a tough loss on Monday and moved 1 1'2 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies (64-55) in the National League East.

Marlins starter Chris Volstad (4-2) got off to a shaky start in the first inning, giving up base hits to Skip Schumaker and Felipe Lopez and walking Albert Pujols to load the bases. Ryan Ludwick followed with a bases-clearing double to left-center field.

"I told myself, that's it, that's all they get," Volstad said. "I wanted to keep it right there (at three runs). I started to work ahead more and using all of my pitches. I used my changeup a lot more and that sinker, I was able to locate it."

Mike Jacobs' RBI double in the bottom of the first to pulled the Marlins within 3-1. In the second, the Florida barged ahead as Cody Ross doubled and John Baker reached on an infield single. A sacrifice by Volstad brought Ramirez, who has been struggling with runners in scoring position and two out, to the plate.

Ramirez, who was batting under .200 in that situation, belted a 2-0 offering from Lohse (13-5) to left field for his 26th home run and a 4-3 lead.

"I think it was a mistake," Ramirez said. "I think it was supposed to be away and it was hanging in the middle."

"It was a bad pitch in a bad situation and it cost me," Lohse said. "I'm not trying to throw a changeup over the middle of the plate and definitely not against Ramirez."

Volstad threw four scoreless innings after the shaky first, but did not return a 1-hour, 51 minute delay that began in the bottom of the fifth. The 21-year-old righthander allowed three runs and five hits with two strikeouts and three walks.

"Volstad settled down," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "You wish you didn't have a rain delay because you wanted to know how long he could go because his stuff kept getting better and better. But once the rain delay came, you had to shut him down."

Mark Hendrickson, Matt Lindstrom and Arthur Rhodes combined to pitch three scoreless innings in relief before Kevin Gregg recorded his 26th save by pitching a perfect ninth.

Lohse, who also came out of the game due to the delay, allowed four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. The righthander struck out five but was denied his career high-tying 14th win.

Schumaker had two hits for the Cardinals (66-56), who fell seven games behind the Chicago Cubs (71-47) in the NL Central. The Cubs were rained out on Tuesday.

"It was rough. Offensively, we didn't get much going after the first inning, they shut us down," Ludwick said. "We are all firm believers on getting on the board first is really important. We've done a really good job of that this year, but we couldn't add on and it is a tough loss."