Phillies 8, Cardinals 7 (11 innings)
WP – Jeremy Horst (1-0, 1.13)
LP – Barret Browning (0-2, 4.24)
PHILADELPHIA — “You can’t teach speed” was the call by Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy.
Juan Pierre used his speed to leg out an infield single in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Phillies an 8-7 win. It capped a four unanswered runs as the Phillies overcame a 7-4 deficit created in the 8th.
Jon Jay’s two-run double broke the 4-4 tie in the 8th inning, and it was followed up by an RBI from Matt Carpenter to make it 7-4. But like most of the game, when the Cardinals did something, the Phillies repsonded.
It was Erik Kratz who hit a three-run homer to tie the game up, 7-7, eventually sending it to extra innings. That enabled Pierre’s walk-off infield single in the 11th to win the game for the Phillies.
Not lost in the thriller was another poor start from Vance Worley.
There were moments where Worley’s two-seamer was looking sharp. But much of the game, Worley wasn’t hitting his spots and he was forced to throw 91 pitches and that kept him from completing the 6th.
Worley lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out four in the no-decision. His ERA rose to 3.97 thanks to a 5.73 ERA in his last eight starts.
Many are starting to wonder if the Phillies should shut down Worley early. Worley has been pitching most of the season with a bone chip in his throwing elbow and he said he was going to opt for surgery at the end of the season.
But with this season going nowhere, shutting Worley down should be on the minds of the Phillies once Lehigh finishes their season. Then, veteran Scott Elarton or rookie Tyler Cloyd should get some Major League innings in the final month of the season.
After allowing a walk and RBI double in the 1st inning to the first two batters, Worley was provided some offense in the bottom half.
Chase Utley drove home two on a two-run triple, and then scored on a Ryan Howard single to give the Phils an early 3-1 lead.
Worley couldn’t hold the lead, allowing an RBI double to Carlos Beltran in the 3rd and back-to-back RBI singles to Jay and Carpenter in the 4th to give St. Louis a 4-3 lead.
Ryan Howard evened things back up in the bottom of the 4th with his seventh home run of the year, a solo shot to left center to lead off the inning, making it a 4-4 game.
2B: Kratz (6). 3B: Utley (2). HR: Howard (7).
TTB 