Kevin Youkilis’ walk off home run in the bottom of the 13 th ends a wild one in Boston as the Cardinals were unable to get the sweep losing 5-3 at Fenway Park.
The Cardinals were up 2-1 in the bottom of the 8 th , when Coco Crisp hit a fly ball to centerfield that would have been an easy out, but Rick Ankiel slipped in the wet grass (the product of a 49 minute rain delay at the start of the game) and Crisp ended up with a triple.
I thought Tony LaRussa made a bad call, electing to go to his bullpen and taking starter Joel Pineiro out of the game, who had given up just a solo home run to Youkilis in the 7 th . The move would prove near fatal, as Chris Perez came in and gave up a sack fly to tie the game, then got the second out before Dustin Pedroia singled. Perez would then walk the next three batters, including Mike Lowell to give up the go ahead run. Perez would get Youkilis to strike out sending the game to the ninth.
That’s when the Sox called on Jonathan Papelbon who struck out the first two batters in the 9 th , then walked Chris Duncan. LaRussa brought pinch hitter Adam Kennedy in, who stroked a double off the centerfield wall after being down 0-2 and fouling off three pitches.
The Red Sox would double to lead off the 10 th , 11 th , and 12 th innings and each time fail to score. That came to the 13 th when Mike Parisi gave up the lead off hit and subsequent walk off homer to Youkilis.
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