Skip Schumaker's RBI single in 9th lifts Cards to 4-3 win, ends Astros' 6-game win streak
Associated Press | Apr 26, 08 3:27 PM CDT in
Sports
Skip Schumaker singled to left to score pinch-runner Cesar Izturis in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 4-3 victory that snapped the Houston Astros' six-game winning streak.
Schumaker singled off Wesley Wright, who relieved Dave Borkowski (0-1) after Borkowski walked leadoff batter Brian Barton to start the ninth. After Barton was forced by Adam Wainright, Brendan Ryan singled to chase Borkowski.
Wainright (3-1) struck out six and allowed five hits, including three homers. Lance Berkman hit two of them, his 22nd career multihomer game.
Houston jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Kaz Matsui hit his first home run of the season into the Cardinals bullpen off Wainright.
St. Louis took the lead in the third when Albert Pujols doubled to deep right-center field off Roy Oswalt, scoring Schumaker and Rick Ankiel. Pujols later scored on Troy Glaus' sacrifice fly to right, giving the Cardinals a 3-1 lead.
Glaus' 15 RBIs without a home run lead the major leagues.
Oswalt, who had won his last two decisions, lasted six innings and allowed three runs.
The Astros cut the lead to 3-2 in the fourth when Berkman hit his seventh home run. Berkman later tied it with another drive in the seventh.
The teams almost came to blows in the third inning after Wainright threw behind Brad Ausmus on the first pitch. Both dugouts and bullpens emptied but no punches were thrown. The purpose pitch came after Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue was hit on the inside of his jersey by Oswalt in the second on a 2-2 pitch. Also, Pujols was thrown an inside fastball that moved him off the plate in the first inning.
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