3B David Freese hit a go ahead 2 run double in the 4th then crushed a two run shot to center for insurance as the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 at Busch Stadium in Missouri. The Cardinals win sets up a deciding game 5 in the National League division series after both clubs split 2 home games. Edwin Jackson threw a workman like 6 innings for the win, allowing 5 hits and 2 runs while striking out 4 and walking 1. Philadelphia scored two runs in the first on rbi hits from 2B Chase Utley and RF Hunter Pence but the Phillies offense could not solve the St. Louis pitching puzzle until the 8th when a wild pitch allowed PR Michael Martinez to score from 3rd. Jason Motte, the 5th Cardinals reliever, earned his 2nd save of the series with a clean ninth.
GAME NOTES: Phillies RHSP Roy Oswalt was the loser, allowing 6 hits and 5 runs over 6 frames. He threw 15 1st pitch strikes to 26 batters he faced and the Cardinals were very aggressive, attacking early in counts and putting good swings on fastballs… Cardinals LF Matt Holiday(Inflamed tendon in right middle finger) returned to the starting lineup after missing the 1st 3 games of the series and was 1 for 3 with 2 runs scored… Phillies 1B Ryan Howard had a tough day, striking out 3 times. He has 10 games with 3 strike outs in post season play and is the runaway career leader in that category. The good news for Ryan? 3 of the next 4 players(Tied for 3rd with 5 each) on this list : Duke Snider, Reggie Jackson and Derek Jeter are either in Cooperstown(Home of the Baseball Hall of Fame) or will be(Jeter)…. Cardinals 2B Skip Schumaker left in the 5th inning with a cramp in his hamstring. St. Louis sparkplug was getting IVs postgame and should be good to go in game 5… Strange scene in the 5th with Schumaker at the plate. A Squirrel ran onto the field and across the homeplate area in the middle of Oswalt’s delivery. No harm or foul but Oswalt was upset and did not want the pitch to count.(Called a ball) The veteran did appear to pull up a bit while delivering the ball.
NEXT GAME: NLDS- Game 5, Friday, October 7th,8;37 pm, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
Phillies RHSP Roy Halladay(19-6,2.35) vs Cardinals RHSP Chris Carpenter(11-9,3.45)
