Carpenter Pitches Cardinals to Win

Chris Carpenter came up with another gem for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Carpenter become the first 19-game winner in the major leagues, and David Eckstein was four for five with three runs batted in to help St. Louis beat the Florida Marlins, 6-1, Monday night at Miami.

“If Carpenter hadn’t been out there, it might have been easier,” Marlin Manager Jack McKeon said.

“He got in a couple of jams, and he got out of them. He was tough in the clutch. That’s why he’s a 19-game winner.”

Carpenter (19-4) beat the Marlins for the second time in August and improved to 11-0 in his last 14 starts. He gave up seven hits but only one run in 7 2/3 innings, stranding four runners in scoring position.

He threw 94 pitches before Manager Tony La Russa removed him with two out and none on in the eighth.

“We’re not going to push it,” La Russa said. “That was enough for today, and we’ll try to save a few bullets for the next time he pitches.”

Arizona 7, San Diego 5 -- Kelly Stinnett hit a bizarre inside-the-park homer, and Troy Glaus, Chad Tracy and Shawn Green also connected for the Diamondbacks at San Diego.

Stinnett hit a high fly ball to left field, which Ryan Klesko leaped for at the fence and missed. The ball bounced high into the air and fell back onto the field. Third base umpire Bill Welke stretched out both arms horizontally to signal a fair ball.

Klesko, apparently thinking the ball had landed beyond the fence before bouncing back, walked over, picked it up and flipped it into the stands as Stinnett was rounding third base.

Colorado 2, San Francisco 1 -- Matt Cain pitched five strong innings for the Giants in his major league debut, but Matt Holliday homered to help the Rockies win at San Francisco.

Washington at Atlanta -- The game was postponed because of rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader Wednesday.

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh -- The game was postponed because of rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sept. 16.

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Wild card

*--* TEAM W L PCT. GB Philadelphia 70 61 534 -- Florida 69 62 527 1 Houston 68 62 523 1 1/2 New York 68 62 523 1 1/2 Washington 67 63 515 2 1/2

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