Cards ride 7-run 11th inning to rout of Phillies

Cards ride 7-run 11th inning to rout of Phillies

June 21st, 2017

PHILADELPHIA -- The Cardinals wouldn't mind seeing a few more games against the Phillies on their schedule.
, and Tommy Pham came up with big hits during a seven-run 11th inning Tuesday night in an 8-1 victory at Citizens Bank Park. The Cardinals have won seven games this month, and four have come against the Phillies. They lost five of their past seven games before winning the series opener Tuesday. Before that stretch, they swept the Phillies in a three-game series June 9-11 at Busch Stadium. That sweep followed a seven-game losing streak.
• Cast your Esurance All-Star ballot for your favorite #ASGWorthy players
Phillies right-hander walked Matt Carpenter and on nine pitches to start the 11th. entered, allowing a two-run double to Piscotty to hand the Cardinals a 3-1 lead.
• Piscotty proving ability as regular No. 3 man
"That's the 'pen coming through, our pitching coming through and doing their part and giving us enough opportunities," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "A great job of letting them get back up there and taking chances, and then guys putting together some good at-bats."

Fien then allowed a two-run homer to Molina, a two-run homer to Pham and an RBI double to Carpenter.
"He threw me a cutter, first pitch, and I said, 'If he throws it again I'm going to crush it.' And he threw it again. That normally never works, but it worked there," Pham said of his long ball.

Phillies right-hander allowed one run in seven innings as he tries to boost his value before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. He had not pitched seven innings since April 21. The Phillies have lost 12 of their last 13 games and are 22-47, matching their worst start through 69 games since 1997.

• Hellickson showcases worth in limiting Cards
Is Phillies manager Pete Mackanin worried about losing becoming a habit?
 
"Yeah, I think about that a lot," he said. "Rather than get negative, I want to stay positive with the guys. At the same time, let them know we need to do better at every area. So we need to work on fundamentals. Just concentrate on that. You have to hit and you have to pitch."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Franco keeps it going: Phillies third baseman singled to center field with two outs in the fourth inning to score and tie the game at 1. Franco entered the game hitting .333 (10-for-30) with four doubles, one home run, four RBIs, six walks, six strikeouts and a 1.011 OPS in the past eight games.
Gyorko homers: Cardinals third baseman hit a first-pitch curveball from Hellickson for a solo homer to left field in the second inning to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. It was his 10th home run of the season.

QUOTABLE
"After the game when we lose, it sucks, but we'll all come in tomorrow expecting to win, and we'll do everything we have to do to get ready for it. Obviously it sucks to lose, but you don't really see that coming into the clubhouse every day. -- Hellickson, on the Phillies going 11-38 since an 11-9 start
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
• Cardinals starter Mike Leake threw six innings, allowing one earned run, marking just the fourth time this month that a Cards starter posted a line with at least as many innings and as few earned runs. They had 10 such games in both April and May, when their rotation led the Majors in ERA.

• According to Elias, the record for most runs in the 11th inning since 1900 is nine by the Padres in Game 2 of a doubleheader on June 28, 1994.
• One-two punch: Carpenter, Fowler clicking
PERKINS MAKES DEBUT
Phillies outfielder Cameron Perkins, promoted earlier Tuesday, made his Major League debut as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning. Molina allowed Perkins to receive some applause before crouching behind home plate.
"Congratulations," Molina said to Perkins.
"Thank you, sir," Perkins responded.
"I was like, 'Did I just call him sir?'" said Perkins, who flied out to center field.

WHAT'S NEXT
Cardinals: (3-3, 4.78 ERA)will look to reverse his poor performances of late in the second game of a three-game series against the Phillies on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. CT. For a time, this start was up in the air, but the Cardinals felt comfortable sending him out there after taking a slightly different approach to his latest bullpen session.
Phillies: Rookie right-hander (1-3, 4.46 ERA) will start at 7:05 p.m. ET. Pivetta allowed just four hits in seven scoreless innings last week against the Red Sox, easily making it the best start of his seven-start career.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.