Ryan Ludwick hit a two-run home run in the 11th inning off Jason Johnson, a starter called into duty, to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 6-4 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ludwick’ 28th homer, his fifth in four games, allowed the Cardinals to recover after the bullpen blew a four-run ninth-inning lead for its major league-leading 27th blown save. Adam Kennedy singled to start the inning and Ludwick hit a 2-1 pitch over the center-field wall with one out for his third career game-winning homer, and first since May 17 against the Rays. Jaime Garcia (1-1) pitched a scoreless 11th for the Cardinals. Johnson (1-1) worked one-third of an inning two days after throwing 87 pitches in 4 1-3 innings in a 9-3 victory over the Diamondbacks. Both teams missed chances to end it earlier. The Dodgers stranded five runners and the Cardinals four in the ninth and 10th. Manny Ramirez, the 2004 World Series MVP in the Red Sox’ sweep of St. Louis, was booed before each of his at-bats. He didn’t seem to mind, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and trotting home with the tying run in a four-run ninth on Casey Blake’s sacrifice fly. Ramirez also drew an intentional walk to load the bases with two outs in the 10th before left fielder Joe Mather made a nice running catch on James Loney’s sinking liner. Ramirez is 10-for-16 with two homers and five RBIs in four games since joining the Dodgers at the trade deadline, and is a .372 career ...
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Ryan Ludwick hit a two-run home run in the 11th inning off Jason Johnson, a starter called into duty, to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 6-4 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ludwick’ 28th homer, his fifth in four games, allowed the Cardinals to recover after the bullpen blew a four-run ninth-inning lead for its major league-leading 27th blown save. Adam Kennedy singled to start the inning and Ludwick hit a 2-1 pitch over the center-field wall with one out for his third career game-winning homer, and first since May 17 against the Rays. Jaime Garcia (1-1) pitched a scoreless 11th for the Cardinals. Johnson (1-1) worked one-third of an inning two days after throwing 87 pitches in 4 1-3 innings in a 9-3 victory over the Diamondbacks. Both teams missed chances to end it earlier. The Dodgers stranded five runners and the Cardinals four in the ninth and 10th. Manny Ramirez, the 2004 World Series MVP in the Red Sox’ sweep of St. Louis, was booed before each of his at-bats. He didn’t seem to mind, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and trotting home with the tying run in a four-run ninth on Casey Blake’s sacrifice fly. Ramirez also drew an intentional walk to load the bases with two outs in the 10th before left fielder Joe Mather made a nice running catch on James Loney’s sinking liner. Ramirez is 10-for-16 with two homers and five RBIs in four games since joining the Dodgers at the trade deadline, and is a .372 career ...