Cardinals’ Suppan baffles Brewers

Milwaukee's strategy backfires when Sheets is allowed to hit in crucial situation

? Ben Sheets was pitching too well for his own good.

With Sheets having thrown just 65 pitches against St. Louis on Wednesday, Milwaukee manager Ned Yost chose not to pinch hit for his ace when the Brewers – trailing by a run – had runners at the corners with one out in the seventh inning.

The strategy backfired as the Brewers failed to score.

That paved the way for St. Louis’ 3-0 victory behind Jeff Suppan’s stellar performance that gave the Cardinals their second straight three-game sweep at Miller Park.

“The way I was throwing the ball, I felt that it made a lot of sense,” said Sheets, whose sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third before Chris Magruder flied out to end the inning. “If we get a base hit after, it’s the greatest move ever.”

Sheets (8-8) gave up two earned runs and five hits in his second complete game of the season. He struck out nine and didn’t walk a batter.

Yost wouldn’t second-guess himself for not pinch-hitting Wes Helms or Russell Branyan for Sheets even though the Cardinals couldn’t have countered the move because they had nobody up in their bullpen.

“If the situation would have gotten right, we probably would have squeezed. But the first pitch he threw for a strike, and Benny bunted it,” Yost said. “We’re still OK. Because we’ve still got runners at second and third, a chance to take the lead and then still have Benny out there throwing as good as he was.”

Yost acknowledged it was a risky move.

“But it’s rolling the dice the other way, too, because Suppan’s a ground-ball pitcher,” Yost said. “The way they play, a ground ball’s a double play. You don’t get anything out of that. Suppan’s painting the corners in those situations, so you’re kind of in a Catch-22 right there.”

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa called it sound strategy.

“I was hoping they’d pinch hit for him. But he didn’t, and quite frankly, I wouldn’t have, either,” La Russa said. “He was so efficient with his pitches.”

So was Suppan (11-8), who allowed four hits and four walks over seven innings as the Cardinals improved to 10-3 against Milwaukee this year.

“I had no idea Supe was going to pitch that well,” La Russa said.

Phillies 9, Dodgers 5

Los Angeles – Rookie slugger Ryan Howard hit his first grand slam to break a tie in the ninth, and Philadelphia beat Los Angeles. Howard drove Yhency Brazoban’s first pitch deep into the seats in right-center, the ball sailing an estimated 453 feet.

Mets 9, Padres 1

San Diego – Kris Benson took a one-hit shutout into the ninth, and David Wright tied career highs with four hits and six RBIs – including a three-run homer.

Rockies 6, Pirates 5, 10 innings

Denver – Matt Holliday hit a run-scoring single in the 10th and had a three-run homer, and Todd Helton had a pair of doubles in his first game off the disabled list to lift Colorado past Pittsburgh.

Astros 7, Nationals 6

Houston – Morgan Ensberg and Orlando Palmeiro doubled with the bases loaded to lead Houston past Washington. Brad Lidge earned the save despite a shaky ninth, striking out pinch-hitter Jose Guillen with runners at the corners to end it.

Braves 5, Giants 4, 12 innings

Atlanta – Andruw Jones added to his major-league lead with two more homers, and Marcus Giles’ 12th-inning single gave Atlanta a victory over San Francisco after the Braves squandered a three-run lead in the ninth.

Marlins 10, Diamondbacks 5

Miami – Mike Lowell caught Luis Terrero wandering off third base in the eighth to stop a Diamondbacks rally, and the Marlins beat Arizona. Miguel Cabrera hit his 26th homer, and Juan Pierre scored three runs for Florida, which won its second in a row after being swept in a doubleheader Monday in Colorado.

Reds 8, Cubs 2

Chicago – Ryan Freel homered on the first pitch of the game, and Cincinnati sent Chicago to its eighth straight loss, tying a season high. Eric Milton pitched seven strong innings, and Freel’s single keyed a seven-run fourth as the Reds completed a three-game sweep.

The Cubs (54-60) fell six games under .500 for the first time this season.