The Miami Marlins were nursing a 2-1 lead in the seventh, when they rallied with four runs to jump out to a 6-1 lead. The Cardinals chopped away adding a run in the eighth and then Yadier Molina’s two-run homer off closer Heath Bell in the ninth capped a four-run inning to tie the game at 6. The Cardinals responded with two more in the 10th and held on for an 8-7 win.
After Rafael Furcal’s RBI double put the Cardinals up 7-6 in the top of the 10th, rookie pitcher Joe Kelly was called to hit for reliever Victor Marte with two outs and the bases loaded against Chad Gaudin. Kelly hit a soft grounder to shortstop Jose Reyes, whose throw to first was not in time allowing Furcal to score an insurance run. A run the Cardinals would need. Kelly’s chance to come up in the spot started with a ten-minute discussion between the managers and umpire.
After Miami’s Hanley Ramirez singled with one out, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen came out of the dugout to dispute the Cardinals’ lineup with home plate umpire Bob Davidson. They ruled in Guillen’s favor forcing Mike Matheny in to insert Tony Cruz off the bench to replace Allen Craig at first base. Matheny thought the pitcher’s place in the order was the seventh spot and Guillen argued it was the fifth…that ended up being the spot where Kelly delivered his pinch hit RBI grounder.
With the Cardinals up 8-6, closer Jason Motte allowed an RBI single by John Buck with two outs in the bottom of the 10th, but Reyes lined out to center with two runners on to end the game.