Jim Edmonds was supposed to get the proverbial day of rest on Sunday. It looked like he might, until the seventh inning. Luckily for the Cardinals, Edmonds did work in a 7-5 win over the Dodgers in 11 innings.
In the seventh inning, Edmonds pinch-hit for So Taguchi and drove in a run with a double. Then with the score tied in the top of the 11th, Edmonds took Wilson Alvarez deep for a two-run homer, which broke a 5-5 tie and eventually gave St. Louis the win.
The Cardinals probably should have avoided extra innings altogether. They let a three-run lead slip through their fingers in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Ricky Ledee hit a three-run homer off Ray King.
St. Louis got a boost in the fourth inning by Mark Grudzielanek, who hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to put them up 3-1. It was his sixth home run of the season. Edmonds’ double in the seventh and Hector Luna’s sacrifice in the eighth gave the Cardinals their 5-3 lead.
Mark Mulder was trying for his 13th win, but got the no decision in 5 2/3 innings of work. He allowed two runs off five hits and a season-high five walks. Cal Eldred eventually got the win by allowing one hit and no runs in the ninth and tenth innings. Jason Isringhausen put the side down in order in the 11th to get his 29th save of the year.
The Cardinals took two-of-three from the Dodgers and their lead in the N.L. Central is still 9 ½ games over the Astros. They come home to open up a four-game series with the Marlins on Monday.
