Marquis torments Reds in victory

[StlCards4ever515]

ST. LOUIS -- When Jason Marquis entered the batters' box, bases loaded in a one-run game, the Reds pitched to the Cardinals hurler as though he were a regular position player. Marquis obliged them by hitting like one.
After falling behind 0-2 against Reds starter Aaron Harang, Marquis worked a 3-2 count, then zinged a three-run triple down the first-base line to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead and eventually a 5-1 win over Cincinnati on Tuesday night. The lefty-swinging, righty-tossing Marquis also happened to pitch, by the way, and he pitched well: Marquis held the Reds to a run on five hits over 6 1/3 innings.

But good pitchers pitch good games all the time. Even good-hitting pitchers -- of which Marquis certainly is one -- don't often smoke game-breaking extra-base hits. Marquis' triple was the first of his big league career, but not the first time he'd done damage against Cincinnati pitching.

Last season he had a double and two RBIs in 10 at-bats against St. Louis' division rival, so the Redlegs had some clue that the guy in the nine spot could swing the bat a bit. Hence, their approach.

With the count decidedly in his favor, Harang elected not to come straight at his opposite number. Instead, he twice tried to make Marquis chase pitches out of the strike zone, and Marquis wouldn't bite. Harang missed with his 2-2 pitch as well, setting up a full count for one of the league's most dangerous hitting pitchers.

On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Harang left a fastball over the middle of the plate, and Marquis hit a sizzler that Reds first baseman Sean Casey couldn't make a play on. He kept motoring all the way to third base, and the Cards had a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

"I was looking for a pitch to hit early on, with one out, maybe get one run driven in, a ground ball or something like that," Marquis said. "But I know as a pitcher, if I've got a 3-2 count on a pitcher with the bases loaded, I don't want to walk him. I'm not gonna give him a great pitch to hit, but I don't want to walk him. I looked for a pitch out over the plate to put in play. I happened to get good wood on it."

The hit changed the tone of the game in more ways than one. Not only did St. Louis have its first lead of more than one run since Opening Day, but Marquis appeared to come after hitters more aggressively once he had the advantage. After needing 48 pitches to get through the first two innings after rain delayed the start of the game by 35 minutes, he made his way through the next four on 50.

A team that had gone three games without a quality start got a high-quality start before its bullpen put the win on ice. Al Reyes pitched two-thirds of an inning, Ray King one and Carmen Cali the final frame.

Their job was made a bit easier by a couple of insurance runs, courtesy of back-to-back solo homers by Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders. It was Edmonds' 1,500th career Major League base hit.

"It feels good," said Edmonds. "I don't know what to say. I never thought I'd be in this situation ever in my life. So every hit is a bonus to me right now. To get a miniature milestone like that is nice."

It was Marquis' miniature milestone, though, that turned the game. An inning earlier, Harang was in the same position, but the right-hander bounced a ball off his foot for an out. Marquis struck out D'Angelo Jimenez to end the threat, and settled in afterward. Marquis retired 14 of 16 batters starting with the Harang at-bat.

"The game was very close and the difference was three RBIs from the pitcher," said manager Tony La Russa. "You look at the game, their guy had the same chance and Jason got ahead of him and made a pitch right away."

Harang let Marquis hang around, though, and Marquis made him regret it.

[griffeyfan3]

his control was not very good in the beginning got better in the end tho. thought it was funny when the ump made him quit putting his hand to his mouth.

[griffeyfan3]

must say the cards were by the reds until the ninth

nice comback tho

[StlCards4ever515]

No Owned is a 5-1 Ballgame like last night LMAO. Marquis with a Triple and 6 K's i would say thats OWNED!