The Cardinals were seemingly destined to lose to the Red Sox Thursday night. Instead they came away with an 8-7 win in 13 innings. After taking a 3-0 lead into the ninth inning, Cal Eldred allowed a home run to Jason Varitek and an RBI triple to Nomar Garciaparra to tie it up. After two intentional walks, Steve Kline worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam to force extra innings. In the top of the 10th, J.D. Drew was called to pinch hit and blasted a two-run homer to make it 5-3. But the Red Sox battled back with two runs of their own. David Ortiz drove in a run with a double and Garciaparra struck again with an RBI single. It stayed 5-5 until the 13th, when Jim Edmonds hit a three-run homer–his second of the day– making it 8-5. Cardinal reliever Estaban Yan made it interesting allowing two Boston runs in the bottom of the 13th to make it 8-7. Forgotten in the extra innings is Garrett Stephenson, who pitched seven innings, allowing just three hits. Reliever Jason Isringhausen made his first appearance of the year. He allowed two hits in the eighth, but got out of the inning unscathed. The Cardinals took two of three from the Red Sox and face the Yankees tonight in the Bronx. Roger Clemens will go in search of his 300th career win. St. Louis will counter with Jason Simontacchi.
