Game Wrapup


	Cards can't close it out

Padres 3, Cardinals 1

Albert Pujols, who went 0-for-4, reacts after striking out in the sixth inning. (Tom Gannam/AP)

Taguchi's pinch-hit homer

Molina picks off Piazza

La Russa's postgame interview

By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

Back at Busch Stadium with the chance to sweep the Padres, the Redbirds were held off the scoreboard until So Taguchi's pinch-hit homer in the eighth, and could not rally late to clinch the NLDS. One bright spot was the 'pen, which shut the door after Jeff Suppan yielded three runs in 4 1/3 innings.

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San Diego	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Roberts, LF	3	0	3	0	1	0	0	.545
Walker, 2B	5	0	0	0	0	0	5	.000
Hoffman, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Giles, RF	4	0	0	0	1	1	2	.200
Piazza, C	4	0	1	0	0	1	4	.111
Embree, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Linebrink, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a-Barfield, PH-2B	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.250
Gonzalez, 1B	3	1	2	0	2	1	0	.300
Cameron, CF	3	1	1	0	2	0	5	.200
Branyan, 3B	3	1	1	2	0	0	1	.182
Greene, SS	2	0	0	0	0	1	5	.000
Blum, SS-3B	3	0	1	1	1	0	3	.167
Young, P	3	0	0	0	0	2	3	.000
Bowen, C	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	1.000
Totals	34	3	10	3	8	6	28
a-Walked for Linebrink in the 9th.
BATTING 2B: Cameron (1, Suppan), Branyan (1, Suppan), Blum (1, Hancock), Piazza (1, Flores). TB: Roberts 3; Piazza 2; Gonzalez 2; Cameron 2; Branyan 2; Blum 2; Bowen. RBI: Branyan 2 (2), Blum (1). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Young; Cameron 2; Walker 2; Greene; Blum 2. S: Roberts. SF: Blum. GIDP: Walker. Team LOB: 14. BASERUNNING SB: Roberts (1, 2nd base off Suppan/Molina). PO: Piazza (1st base by Molina). FIELDING DP: 2 (Branyan-Walker-Gonzalez, Blum-Walker-Gonzalez).

St. Louis	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Eckstein, SS	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	.167
Duncan, LF	2	0	0	0	2	1	1	.167
Johnson, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Thompson, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Pujols, 1B	4	0	0	0	0	2	4	.417
Edmonds, CF	3	0	0	0	1	1	2	.300
Rolen, 3B	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.091
Encarnacion, RF	4	0	0	0	0	2	0	.273
Belliard, 2B	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	.500
Molina, C	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.222
b-Spiezio, PH	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000
Bennett, C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Suppan, P	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Hancock, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a-Miles, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500
Flores, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Looper, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
c-Taguchi, PH-LF	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	1.000
Totals	30	1	5	1	3	11	11
a-Popped out for Hancock in the 6th. b-Struck out for Molina in the 7th. c-Homered for Looper in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Belliard (1, Young). HR: Taguchi (1, 8th inning off Linebrink, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Eckstein 2; Belliard 3; Taguchi 4. RBI: Taguchi (1). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rolen; Edmonds; Spiezio. GIDP: Molina; Pujols. Team LOB: 5. BASERUNNING SB: Eckstein (1, 2nd base off Young/Piazza). FIELDING E: Duncan (1, fielding), Molina (1, throw). DP: (Suppan-Eckstein-Pujols). Pickoffs: Molina (Piazza at 1st base).

San Diego	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Young (W, 1-0)	6.2	4	0	0	2	9	0	0.00
Embree (H, 1)	0.1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Linebrink (H, 1)	1.0	1	1	1	1	0	1	6.75
Hoffman (S, 1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00

St. Louis	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Suppan (L, 0-1)	4.1	6	3	3	3	3	0	6.23
Hancock	1.2	1	0	0	2	1	0	0.00
Flores	0.1	1	0	0	1	0	0	0.00
Looper	1.2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Johnson	0.1	1	0	0	1	1	0	0.00
Thompson	0.2	0	0	0	1	1	0	0.00

IBB: Edmonds (by Young), Blum (by Suppan).
Pitches-strikes: Young 102-63, Embree 7-4, Linebrink 19-12, Hoffman 7-6, Suppan 82-41, Hancock 35-19, Flores 11-4, Looper 18-12, Johnson 12-6, Thompson 14-10.
Ground outs-fly outs: Young 3-8, Embree 0-0, Linebrink 3-0, Hoffman 1-1, Suppan 5-4, Hancock 2-2, Flores 1-0, Looper 3-2, Johnson 0-0, Thompson 0-1.
Batters faced: Young 25, Embree 1, Linebrink 4, Hoffman 3, Suppan 21, Hancock 8, Flores 3, Looper 6, Johnson 3, Thompson 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Embree 1-0, Hancock 2-0, Looper 2-0, Thompson 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Brian Gorman. 1B: Greg Gibson. 2B: Wally Bell. 3B: Marty Foster. LF: Gerry Davis. RF: Bill Welke.
Weather: 66 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 11 mph, R to L.
T: 3:33.
Att: 46,634.

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner

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