Cardinals score 4 runs in ninth; beat the Marlins in 10

In what started out as another contest that Yadier Molina and the Saint Louis Cardinals' offense had fallen asleep--the team bursted out with a huge game-tying four-run ninth inning behind yet another clutch home-run off of the bat from Yadier Molina--before eventually winning the ballgame in the tenth-inning on an RBI single from Rafael Furcal in a 8-to-7 slugfest on Monday night in Miami.

With two-outs, top of the ninth-inning, Cardinals trailing six-to-four, Molina represented the tying run at the plate--and like he does an awful lot in the clutch, he nailed a two-run bomb into the left-field bleachers to tie it all up at six.

Then following an RBI single to take the lead off the bat of Furcal in the top half of the tenth-inning, the Cardinals plated two in the extra inning, ultimately leading the Cardinals to a 8-to-7 win.

Joe Kelly, who is the Cardinals' scheduled starter for Wednesday's series finale contest, got his first career big-league hit in the tenth-inning, which was most certainly a big sparking point that helped lead St. Louis to there fourth straight win overall on the season--and kept manager Mike Matheny and his defending champion Cardinals in a tie for second place in the Central with Pittsburgh (just two games behind the Reds for first).

It was a quiet game all the way through six-innings, as Jose Reyes and his Miami Marlins held a two-to-nothing lead going into the top of the sixth. David Freese scored on a passed ball from the hand of Miami's starting pitcher, Ricky Nolasco.

With the Marlins leading 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Miami busted out a four-run inning of there own as the team knocked out the Cardinals' starting pitcher Jake Westbrook, who before this start, had arguably his best start of the season so far last week in his victory over the Detroit Tigers.

The Cardinals used six pitchers other than Westbrook, as Jake pitched six strong innings while only allowing two runs on six hits. Westbrook didn't recieve the win like I feel he deserved, but he is most certainly starting to get stronger as he goes through each start.

Fernando Salas, Edqaurdo Sanchez, Marc Rzepczynski, Freeman, and Victor Marte all came out of the bullpen as they all had managed to pitch three innings combined, allowing two runs or three hits--while walking four. Jason Motte picked up his fifteenth save on the season--but did give up one run on two-hits in an inning of work.

Monday night's victory not only capped off an electricifying comeback, but improved the Cardinals winning streak to four games overall and keeps them in second place in the National League Central, tied with Pittsburgh for two games out behind the Cincinnati Reds. The Cardinals have now won both meetings against the new-look Marlins, and will send Kyle Lohse to the mound against ex-division rival Carlos Zambrano tomorrow night for a 6:05 pm Central Time first pitch.