After eight seasons with the Cardinals, when he was often booed at Wrigley Field, former Cardinal Jim Edmonds got a curtain call Friday from the same Cubs fans after hitting the second of his two homers against Braden Looper in Chicago’s 3-2 win.
The Cardinals-Cubs matchup is one of baseball’s most spirited and emotional rivalries.
Henry Blanco ‘s bases-loaded single in the 11th drove in the winning run as the Cubs improved to 44-16 at home, matching their Wrigley win total of last season.
”It’s a little odd to play against a group of individuals that I’ve been so close to for so long, it’s like playing in the backyard with your family. So it’s different that way,” Edmonds told the Associated Press. ”But you know, you got to separate and move on.”
During Edmonds’ return trip to St. Louis last month, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was miffed about Edmonds’ comments that he was happy to be with the Cubs and tired of talking about his past. Edmonds responded by saying La Russa ducked him before the first game of that series.
His stellar performance came on the Cardinals’ first visit to Wrigley this season.
Edmonds’ second homer, his 15th of the season, was an opposite-field shot to left-center. He ran quickly around the bases after tying the game but did come out of the dugout for a curtain call.
With the score 2-2, Derrek Lee drew a leadoff walk against Ryan Franklin (4-5) in the 11th and, running on a 3-2 pitch, took third on Aramis Ramirez ‘s single to right center. Kosuke Fukudome was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Blanco, who entered in the 10th, lined a pitch over shortstop Cesar Izturis . It was Blanco’s first game-winning RBI this season in just his 80th at-bat. The veteran backup catcher has also been tutoring rookie All-Star Geovany Soto this season.
Bob Howry (5-4) pitched the 11th for the win.
Joe Mather homered for the Cardinals, who had two runners cut down at the plate – one on a squeeze bunt attempt in the fifth and the second when left fielder Alfonso Soriano made a great throw after catching a fly ball for an inning-ending double play in the sixth.
Izturis doubled in the fifth and made third when Edmonds’ relay throw skipped by Mark DeRosa and Lee for an error. But with Looper, the No. 8 hitter at the plate, the Cardinals tried a bunt. Ted Lilly ‘s low inside pitch knocked Looper off his feet and Cubs’ Soto easily tagged out Izturis, who had broken from third.
Adam Kennedy ‘s RBI grounder in the sixth gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. Lilly intentionally walked Albert Pujols and then walked Ryan Ludwick to load the bases with just one out. Troy Glaus hit a fly to medium left but Soriano, who was moving forward when he made the catch, made a laser-like peg to the plate and Soto tagged Mather out on a close play.
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.