GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: ST LOUIS (23-29) at HOUSTON (22-32)

NL: ST LOUIS at HOUSTON

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NL
ST LOUIS 3
HOUSTON 8 FINAL</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at HOUSTON

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ST LOUIS (3) AT HOUSTON (8) - HOW THEY SCORED
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HOUSTON 1ST: C Biggio reached on infield single to second. H Pence singled
to left, C Biggio to second. L Berkman grounded into fielder's choice to
shortstop, H Pence out at second, C Biggio to third. C Lee hit sacrifice fly
to center, C Biggio scored. M Loretta flied out to center. (1 Run, 2 Hits,
0 Errors) ST LOUIS 0, HOUSTON 1.

ST LOUIS 2ND: J Edmonds homered to right. J Encarnacion walked. R Ludwick
doubled to left, J Encarnacion to third. G Bennett grounded out to third.
A Miles hit sacrifice fly to right, J Encarnacion scored, R Ludwick to third.
K Wells grounded out to shortstop. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 2,
HOUSTON 1.

HOUSTON 2ND: L Scott flied out to left. E Munson flied out to left.
A Everett homered to left. C Sampson flied out to center. (1 Run, 1 Hit,
0 Errors) ST LOUIS 2, HOUSTON 2.

ST LOUIS 4TH: J Encarnacion hit a ground rule double to left. R Ludwick
singled to left, J Encarnacion to third, R Ludwick out stretching at second.
G Bennett hit sacrifice fly to left, J Encarnacion scored. A Miles grounded out
to shortstop. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 2.

HOUSTON 5TH: E Munson singled to center. A Everett singled to left center,
E Munson to third. C Sampson sacrificed to first, A Everett to second,
C Sampson safe at first on error by pitcher K Wells. C Biggio grounded into
fielder's choice to third, E Munson out at home, A Everett to third, C Sampson
to second. H Pence doubled to right, A Everett and C Sampson scored, C Biggio
to third. L Berkman grounded out to second, C Biggio scored, H Pence to third.
C Lee walked. M Loretta grounded into fielder's choice to second, C Lee out
at second. (3 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Error) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 5.

HOUSTON 6TH: L Scott homered to left center. E Munson walked. T Johnson
relieved K Wells. A Everett fouled out to shortstop. C Sampson sacrificed to
pitcher, E Munson to second. C Biggio struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit,
0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 6.

HOUSTON 7TH: K Jimenez relieved T Johnson. B Ryan at shortstop. H Pence
fouled out to shortstop. L Berkman walked. C Lee homered to right, L Berkman
scored. M Loretta struck out looking. L Scott grounded out to first. (2 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 8.</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at HOUSTON

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ST LOUIS (3) AT HOUSTON (8) - EVENT LOG
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St Louis Starting Lineups -- A Kennedy 2B, S Spiezio 3B, A Pujols 1B, J Edmonds CF,
J Encarnacion RF, R Ludwick LF, G Bennett C, A Miles SS, K Wells RHP.

Houston Starting Lineups -- C Biggio 2B, H Pence CF, L Berkman 1B, C Lee LF,
M Loretta 3B, L Scott RF, E Munson C, A Everett SS, C Sampson RHP.

Umpires -- Lance Barksdale (HP), Adrian Johnson (1B), Jim Reynolds (2B),
Gary Cederstrom (3B).

Gametime Weather: INDOORS.


ST LOUIS 1ST: A Kennedy flied out to left. S Spiezio flied out to right.
A Pujols grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 0, HOUSTON 0.

HOUSTON 1ST: C Biggio reached on infield single to second. H Pence singled
to left, C Biggio to second. L Berkman grounded into fielder's choice to
shortstop, H Pence out at second, C Biggio to third. C Lee hit sacrifice fly
to center, C Biggio scored. M Loretta flied out to center. (1 Run, 2 Hits,
0 Errors) ST LOUIS 0, HOUSTON 1.

ST LOUIS 2ND: J Edmonds homered to right. J Encarnacion walked. R Ludwick
doubled to left, J Encarnacion to third. G Bennett grounded out to third.
A Miles hit sacrifice fly to right, J Encarnacion scored, R Ludwick to third.
K Wells grounded out to shortstop. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 2,
HOUSTON 1.

HOUSTON 2ND: L Scott flied out to left. E Munson flied out to left.
A Everett homered to left. C Sampson flied out to center. (1 Run, 1 Hit,
0 Errors) ST LOUIS 2, HOUSTON 2.

ST LOUIS 3RD: A Kennedy singled to left. S Spiezio grounded out to first,
A Kennedy to second. A Pujols grounded out to third. J Edmonds grounded out
to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 2, HOUSTON 2.

HOUSTON 3RD: C Biggio struck out swinging. H Pence struck out swinging.
L Berkman grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 2,
HOUSTON 2.

ST LOUIS 4TH: J Encarnacion hit a ground rule double to left. R Ludwick
singled to left, J Encarnacion to third, R Ludwick out stretching at second.
G Bennett hit sacrifice fly to left, J Encarnacion scored. A Miles grounded out
to shortstop. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 2.

HOUSTON 4TH: C Lee walked. M Loretta lined into double play, second to
first, C Lee doubled off first. L Scott flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 2.

ST LOUIS 5TH: K Wells flied out to right. A Kennedy popped out to
shortstop. S Spiezio flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3,
HOUSTON 2.

HOUSTON 5TH: E Munson singled to center. A Everett singled to left center,
E Munson to third. C Sampson sacrificed to first, A Everett to second,
C Sampson safe at first on error by pitcher K Wells. C Biggio grounded into
fielder's choice to third, E Munson out at home, A Everett to third, C Sampson
to second. H Pence doubled to right, A Everett and C Sampson scored, C Biggio
to third. L Berkman grounded out to second, C Biggio scored, H Pence to third.
C Lee walked. M Loretta grounded into fielder's choice to second, C Lee out
at second. (3 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Error) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 5.

ST LOUIS 6TH: A Pujols grounded out to second. J Edmonds grounded out to
second. J Encarnacion grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 5.

HOUSTON 6TH: L Scott homered to left center. E Munson walked. T Johnson
relieved K Wells. A Everett fouled out to shortstop. C Sampson sacrificed to
pitcher, E Munson to second. C Biggio struck out swinging. (1 Run, 1 Hit,
0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 6.

ST LOUIS 7TH: R Ludwick grounded out to third. G Bennett grounded out to
third. A Miles grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3,
HOUSTON 6.

HOUSTON 7TH: K Jimenez relieved T Johnson. B Ryan at shortstop. H Pence
fouled out to shortstop. L Berkman walked. C Lee homered to right, L Berkman
scored. M Loretta struck out looking. L Scott grounded out to first. (2 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 8.

ST LOUIS 8TH: B Ryan grounded out to shortstop. A Kennedy flied out to
left. S Spiezio singled to center. A Pujols grounded into fielder's choice to
shortstop, S Spiezio out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3,
HOUSTON 8.

HOUSTON 8TH: B Esposito catching. E Munson fouled out to third. A Everett
singled to center. M Lamb hit for C Sampson. M Lamb struck out swinging.
C Biggio grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 8.

ST LOUIS 9TH: B Lidge relieved C Sampson. M Loretta at second base. M Lamb
at third base. J Edmonds flied out to left. J Encarnacion struck out swinging.
R Ludwick struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ST LOUIS 3, HOUSTON 8.</div>

 

Sampson, Astros offense pound Cardinals

<h3>HOUSTON 8, ST LOUIS 3</h3>HOUSTON (Ticker) -- All Chris Sampson asked for was a littlerun support by his Houston Astros teammates and he would do therest.

Sampson pitched eight effective innings and the Astros hit threehomers Saturday in an 8-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Carlos Lee hit a two-run homer and Adam Everett and Luke Scotteach added solo shots for Houston, which has won two of threefollowing a 10-game losing streak.

Sampson (5-5) allowed three runs, six hits and a walk. It was agood start to June for the rookie righthander, who was just 1-4in five May starts and backed by a mere five runs in thosecontests.

The Astros have scored 19 runs in their last three gamescompared to just 20 during their 10-game slide.

Houston trailed, 2-1, with two outs in the second inning whenEverett belted the first pitch by Kip Wells over the left fieldwall.

After the Cardinals took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on a sacrificefly by Gary Bennett, The Astros broke open the game in the nextthree innings. Rookie Hunter Pence hit a two-run double andAdam Kennedy followed with an RBI groundout in the fifth for a5-3 lead.

Pence had two hits and is hitting .421 (16-of-38) in his last 10games with eight multi-hit contests.

Scott led off the sixth with his fifth homer to make it 6-3 andLee blasted his 11th homer off reliever Kelvin Jimenez in theseventh to complete the scoring.

Lee drove in three runs to push his season total to 52, movingpast Detroit's Magglio Ordonez (50) for the major league lead.

Wells (2-10) surrendered six runs - five earned - and seven hitswith three walks in five-plus innings to become the firstpitcher with 10 losses. The righthander has lost six straightroad games and nine of 10 overall.

Ryan Ludwick had two hits for St. Louis, which had itsthree-game winning streak snapped.

 

Sampson, Astros offense pound Cardinals

<h3>HOUSTON 8, ST LOUIS 3</h3>HOUSTON (Ticker) -- All Chris Sampson asked for was a littlerun support by his Houston Astros teammates and he would do therest.

Sampson pitched eight effective innings and the Astros hit threehomers Saturday in an 8-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Carlos Lee hit a two-run homer and Adam Everett and Luke Scotteach added solo shots for Houston, which has won two of threefollowing a 10-game losing streak.

Sampson (5-5) allowed three runs, six hits and a walk.

"I started off a little rocky," Sampson said. "My controlwasn't there as much as I'd like it. Then I settled down andfound the control later in the game."

St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols grounded out four times asSampson baffled Cardinals hitters in the lower portion of thestrike zone.

"He kept the ball down," Pujols said. "I think he got six outson ground balls in the sixth and seventh innings. You just tryto take advantage of his mistakes. Today, he didn't make thatmany."

"I had the good sinker working today," Sampson added. Startingin the fourth or fifth inning I was able to put it where Iwanted it and get a good consistent sink on it."

It was a good start to June for the rookie righthander, who wasjust 1-4 in five May starts and backed by a mere five runs inthose contests.

The Astros have scored 19 runs in their last three gamescompared to just 20 during their 10-game slide.

Houston trailed, 2-1, with two outs in the second inning whenEverett belted the first pitch by Kip Wells over the left fieldwall.

After the Cardinals took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on a sacrificefly by Gary Bennett, The Astros broke open the game in the nextthree innings. Rookie Hunter Pence hit a two-run double andAdam Kennedy followed with an RBI groundout in the fifth for a5-3 lead.

"Pence hit a fastball that was a jam-shot, and it went where itwasn't supposed to go," Wells said.

"The team came together today," Pence said. "We had a lot oftimely hits. As a whole team, we just got out there andcompeted today."

Pence had two hits and is hitting .421 (16-of-38) in his last 10games with eight multi-hit contests.

Scott led off the sixth with his fifth homer to make it 6-3 andLee blasted his 11th homer off reliever Kelvin Jimenez in theseventh to complete the scoring.

"We played a really good game today," Lee said. "We did whatwe're supposed to. We got key hits at the right times."

"Everett hit very well today," Astros manage Phil Garner said."Pence had a nice bases-loaded hit. Carlos is still doing asuper job. My goodness."

Lee drove in three runs to push his season total to 52, movingpast Detroit's Magglio Ordonez (50) for the major league lead.

"Every game is a big game," Lee added. "You can't go out thereand expect to win them all, but you've got to at least putyourself in a good position to win ball games."

Wells (2-10) surrendered six runs - five earned - and seven hitswith three walks in five-plus innings to become the firstpitcher with 10 losses.

"I felt really responsible for the result today," Wells said."Ultimately, it's about making the pitches, and I didn't makeenough good ones."

The righthander has lost six straight road games and nine of 10overall.

"I don't necessarily feel I should be 2-10, but it's aboutexecuting pitches and I'm not doing that," Wells added. "If Iknew exactly what was wrong, I would have fixed it."

Ryan Ludwick had two hits for St. Louis, which had itsthree-game winning streak snapped.