honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, July 25, 2009

Victorino goes 4 for 4, homers in Phillies' win over Cardinals


By ROB MAADDI
AP Sports Writer

PHILADELPHIA — Jimmy Rollins hit a go-ahead grand slam and had a career-high five RBIs, Maui's Shane Victorino went 4 for 4 with a homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 14-6 today in a matchup of division leaders.

Rodrigo Lopez (3-0) allowed four runs — three earned — and 10 hits in six innings. The veteran right-hander likely would be the odd man out when recently signed Pedro Martinez is ready to join the Phillies' rotation.

Cardinals center fielder Rick Ankiel hit a solo homer and robbed Jayson Werth of a two-run shot with an outstanding catch. Ryan Ludwick also went deep for the NL Central leaders.

Rollins connected off reliever Jason Motte (3-4) in the sixth to give Philadelphia a 7-4 lead. Victorino, a St. Anthony alum from Wailuku, followed with a homer.

The NL East-leading Phillies have won 16 of 19.

Matt Holliday went 2 for 4 with a walk after getting four hits in his debut with St. Louis. The three-time All-Star outfielder was acquired from Oakland on Friday for three minor league prospects.

Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse allowed three runs and four hits in four innings. He threw 90 pitches in his shortest outing since returning from the disabled list on July 12.

Trever Miller pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings, but was removed for Motte with one out in the sixth. Motte loaded the bases on two walks and a single.

With two outs, Rollins drove an 0-1 pitch into the seats in right for his second career slam and first hit in nine at-bats with the bases full this season. The 2007 NL MVP got a curtain call from the sellout crowd after circling the bases.

Rollins, batting just .237, lined an RBI double in the eighth. Victorino followed with a two-run single and Ryan Howard doubled in two more to make it 14-5.

The game was delayed a few minutes in the seventh because a fan pointed a green laser toward Albert Pujols in the batter's box. Security workers tri ed to identify the fan, and Pujols singled after play resumed. Holliday followed with an RBI double off Chan Ho Park to cut it to 8-5.

Ankiel saved two runs in the third by leaping about two feet above the 6-foot wall in center to catch Werth's drive. Ankiel hit one into the second deck in right to give the Cardinals a 4-3 lead in the sixth.

The Phillies jumped on Lohse for three two-out runs in the first. Raul Ibanez had an RBI single and Pedro Feliz hit a two-run single.

Ludwick led off the second with a homer to left. Holliday started the fourth with a double, moved to third on Ludwick's bloop single and scored on a throwing error by first baseman Howard.

Throwing to second base has been problematic for Howard throughout his career, but he's drastically improved his all-around defense this season. The errant toss was only his fifth error. Howard made a fielding error in the seventh that led to another unearned run.