Busch Stadium St. Louis, Missouri
| Team | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Arizona Diamondbacks | 3 | 4 | 1 |
 | St. Louis Cardinals | 11 | 13 | 0 |
Highlights
Well, no danger of missing any late inning heroics in this game since we stayed in a RV park just 2 miles from Busch Stadium which allowed us the luxury of walking to and from the game. It was a good thing too, since 8 of the Card’s 11 runs were scored from the 7th inning on.
This game was a challenge for a score keeper such as myself with both team’s managers employing the 2 for 1 swap of pitchers and fielders that allows for maintaining a more potent batting order while subbing for the pitcher. Once again, this kind of utilization of strategy is one of many reasons why I enjoy watching the senior circuit games over those of the American League.
The game appeared as though it would be a relatively low scoring event thru the first 5 innings with the D-Backs starter Brandon Webb surrendering single runs in the 2nd and 3rd off a pair of hits and a walk in each frame while the Cards Starter Braden Looper gave up only a single to Stephen Drew in the 2nd. But then Looper seemed to come unglued when he opened the 6th with a first pitch homer to the number eight hitter Chris Snyder. Then after retiring Webb on a come-backer to the mound, Eric Byrnes followed with a double down the left field line. After getting center fielder Chris Young to ground out to short, Orlando Hudson worked the count for a base on balls. Looper lost his concentration as he balked the runners to 2nd & 3rd and then Chad Tracy singled them home for a 3-2 Arizona lead. The lead was short lived however, as it seemed to awaken the proverbial sleeping giant as the Cards scored 1 in the 6th off 2 hits and a walk, 3 in the 7th off 4 hits and a hit batsman along with a D-backs error and finally 5 more in the 8th off 3 hits and 2 walks. Cardinal’s third baseman Scott Rolen was 2 for 5 with a single and triple while driving in 4 for the game. Relievers Russ Springer, Ryan Franklin & Randy Flores each pitched a scoreless inning for the Cards to end the game with Springer picking up the victory. Webb took the loss for the Diamondbacks.