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Tuesday, Aug. 8 8:10pm ET
Cardinals shut out on six hits | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Jesus Sanchez's second career shutout was timely for a worn-out Florida Marlins bullpen. "If we ever needed a distance performance, it was tonight," manager John Boles said after Sanchez threw a six-hitter in a 7-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night. "Our bullpen has been stretched." The Marlins and Cardinals played 11 innings Monday and the Marlins also had an 11-inning game at Cincinnati on Saturday. Andy Fox had two hits and two RBI as the Marlins beat the Cardinals for the first time in five games this year. Florida has won six of seven overall. Sanchez (7-8) allowed five singles and a double, and only three baserunners reached second base. He struck out seven -- including two in the ninth -- and walked two to quiet the NL Central leaders, who scored only two runs in the last 23 innings. "You're going to have times when you're not going to score a lot of runs," catcher Mike Matheny said. "But I can't imagine anybody on this team dwelling on that." In the seventh, Sanchez had a run-scoring single for his third RBI of the season off an 0-2 pitch from Jason Christiansen as the Marlins broke the game open with four runs. Preston Wilson added a two-run single in the inning to chase Christiansen, who retired one of the five batters he faced -- on a sacrifice. "I tried to throw the nastiest slider I've ever thrown in my life," Christiansen said. "I threw a cement-mixer right up there and it sat there and spun for him to hit." The big lead wasn't necessary for Sanchez, who said "they weren't going to score anyway." "When he's on like that, I don't think the extra runs have an effect," Boles said. "I don't think the score is relevant because he looks the same. He challenges people." Sanchez also shut out Baltimore July 18 and threw eight scoreless innings July 3 in a victory over the New York Mets. He's been involved in three combined shutouts. Sanchez and Boles both believe Tuesday's shutout was more impressive because he was ahead in the count most of the time. "I threw first-ball strikes, kept the ball down and changed my pitches," Sanchez said. "All my pitches were working. In Baltimore, I worked only with a fastball and changeup." Cardinals manager Tony La Russa usually doesn't like to talk about the opposition's pitcher. He made an exception for Sanchez. "On all three of his pitches, he very rarely missed his spot," La Russa said. "I was watching the catcher where he set up and he hit his glove almost every time." Fox drove in the first two runs with a single in the fourth, and tripled off Pat Hentgen (10-9) to start the seventh. He is 13-for-26 in his last nine games with five RBI and eight runs. Mark Kotsay added a run-scoring single in the seventh. Mark Smith hit his fifth homer in the ninth to give the Marlins a 7-0 lead. In six-plus innings, Hentgen gave up four runs on five hits. He has lost three of four starts. "You know what? I can't let go of that fourth inning," Hentgen said. "I had two outs and nobody on. I just pitched bad for three or four hitters." Game notesMatheny is in a 2-for-30 slump. ... Wilson struck out twice, raising his major league-high total to 140. ... Henry Rodriguez left after being hit by a pitch on his right wrist by Christiansen in the seventh. X-rays were not required. ... In three appearances covering 1 2/3 innings since being acquired on the trade deadline, Christiansen has allowed five runs on six hits. ... Wilson made a great running catch in center on Fernando Vina's drive to end the seventh. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Florida Clubhouse St. Louis Clubhouse RECAPS Seattle 12 Chi. White Sox 4
Seattle 7
Florida 7
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