Pham, Cardinals pack punch, rally to victory
Durango product’s homers sink Phils
PHILADELPHIA — The Cardinals used the long ball to rally and small ball to win.
Durango product Tommy Pham’s second home run of the game tied it in the ninth inning as St. Louis came back from a 5-0 deficit to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 in 10 innings Wednesday.
Jedd Gyorko hit a two-run homer, and pinch hitter Jose Martinez also connected for the Cardinals.
“Any time you come back like that, it feels real good, shows we have a lot of character,” Pham said.
Said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny of Pham: “He’s a dangerous hitter to any part of the field. An exciting player.”
The game went to extra innings after Freddy Galvis lined a double down the left-field line with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but Odubel Herrera ran through a stop sign, around third-base coach Juan Samuel and was thrown out by 10 feet.
Herrera didn’t attempt to slide and was pulled from the game in a double switch.
“I was playing aggressive. I wanted to win the game; I put my head down and kept running,” Herrera said through a translator. “I saw (the stop sign) late. It’s my mistake.”
Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Herrera let his “emotions get the best of him.”
Martinez led off the 10th with a double to right off Edubray Ramos (0-6).
He advanced to third on a balk and scored when Ramos made a throwing error on a pickoff attempt at first base after Dexter Fowler was intentionally walked.
Yadier Molina added an RBI single.
Phillies starter Nick Pivetta had a career-high 10 strikeouts and allowed three runs and four hits in six innings. The rookie right-hander fanned nine in seven scoreless innings in his previous outing against Boston — also a no-decision.
The Cardinals won their second straight extra-inning game after losing five of six.
The Phillies have lost 13 of 14 and 39 of 50.