Tony Womack launched a two run homer in the ninth inning, wiping out 8 innings of great work by Darryl Kile, and giving Arizona a 3-2 win. Kile matched Randy Johnson pitch for pitch. The game was tied at one until Eric Davis snapped the tie with a sacrifice fly in the top of the 9th. Cards manager Tony LaRussa elected to lift Kile, who struck out the side in the 8th, and bring in closer Dave Veres. Veres walked the first hitter, Hanley Frias, and after a bunt, surrendered Womack’s game winning homer. Veres has blown just five saves in 23 chances. LaRussa says he lifted Kile because Frias had homered earlier in the game, and Womack was hitting over .400 against Kile. St. Louis’ Eduardo Perez and Frias had each homered in the 6th inning, accounting for the 1-1 tie. St. Louis has lost three in a row, all by one run, and five of its last six. The Cardinals still lead the Reds by 6 and 1/2 games as they head to Houston for three games this weekend.
