Reed Johnson helps Cubbies defeat Cardinals 3-to-2

Reed Johnson saved the ball game on Saturday afternoon, the bats went silent for the Cardinals despite another relentless effort from starting pitcher Joe Kelly, and the Chicago Cubs defeated the defending world champions 3-to-2 in front of a sellout crowd at Wrigley field.

With two outs in the bottom half of the seventh-inning, pinch-hitter Reed Johnson laid down a bunt during a two-two tie game that confused Cardinal’ infielders’, driving in Tony Campana to give the Cubbies the eventual game-winning run. The bunt was laid down with perfection—as no outs were recorded during the at-bat—and advanced Geovanny Soto from first base to second base, and having Johnson wined up at first-base himself.

The Cardinals finished the game with just two runs on five hits—which was certainly a change considering the team was 7-1 in there previous eight games before the lost—in which the team managed to put up 53 runs up on the scoreboard.

Carlos Beltran drove in his National League leading 72^nd RBI in the top half of the first inning when he drove in Skip Schumaker on a fielder’s choice.

The Cardinals’ were scoreless from the first-inning on up until Daniel Descalso drove in Lance Berkman with a sacrifice fly to right field. Descalso finished the game at the plate batting 2-for-3 with one RBI. The team’s five total hits for the game was their lowest total in nearly three weeks long of straight baseball (minus the All-Star Break, of course).

The Cubs got an impressive performance from Alfonzo Soriano in today’s game—as he tripled to left field that drove in the likes of both David DeJesus and Starlin Castro, giving the Cubs a 2-to-1 lead after exactly one inning of baseball.

Joe Kelly continued his impressive start as a starting pitcher, despite being given the lost. He last six and one-third innings, giving up just three runs on five hits—and managed to see his record as a starter drop to 1-4 overall.

The bullpen had a good showing though—as both of the likes of Brian Fuentes and Barrett Browning combined to give up no runs and just one hit (which was a single with two-outs against Fuentes). They both struck one batter out, while Fuentes also walked one—despite him still being scoreless on the mound in a Cardinals’ uniform.

The Cubbies’ got an impressive outing as well from there starter Jeff Samardzija, while although he received a no-decision, gave up just two runs on three hits—but walked six batters and struck out seven. Carlos Marmol received the save, as he gave up just one hit and struck one out—in the process of his thirteenth of the season.

The Cardinals and Cubs will play the rubber match of the three games series tomorrow afternoon at 1:20 pm Central Time on FOX Sports Midwest.