Los Angeles Dodgers A.J . Ellis (17) is congratulated at home plate by teammates Andre Ethier and Adrian Gonzalez after hitting a three run home run in the fifth inning.UPI/Bill Greenblatt
A.J. Ellis broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning with a three-run homer that would lead to an eventual 5-1 win for the Dodgers in the final game of this four game set. Rookie Carlos Martinez, making an emergency start from Triple-A Memphis, lasted just one more pitch, after cramping in his hand forced him from the mound.
The Cardinals dropped three of four in this series and following a stretch of 15 games against four teams in playoff position, the club stumbled by only winning four of them. The Cardinals saw their 2.5 game lead slip to a four-game deficit to Pittsburgh in that span.
While a Cardinals youngster failed to deliver, it was a pair of rookies who helped spark the Dodgers.
Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched seven stellar innings allowing just five hits while striking out seven. The one run he did allow was unearned. Fellow rookie Yasiel Puig had three hits to raise his batting average to .377. Adrian Gonzalez drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Jerry Hairston had a pinch-hit RBI single.
Pittsburgh is on the horizon, but the Cardinals get a much needed break from tough competition…the Chicago Cubs come to Busch for a three game weekend series.