Cardinals get 10 hits in a row to tie record

ST. LOUIS -- For one inning, the St. Louis Cardinals could do no wrong.

The Cardinals tied a major league record with 10 consecutive hits in a 10-run fifth inning, with pitcher Braden Looper and Aaron Miles each getting two in a 10-5 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night.

“That’s momentum like I’ve never seen before,” said Ryan Ludwick, who homered in the fifth inning. “It’s just an incredible inning.”

Looper (9-9) opened the inning with a single to center field and then, with the Cardinals leading, 8-3, bunted for another hit. Miles followed Looper twice with singles, the latter driving in a run.

The streak ended when David Eckstein hit a sacrifice fly and So Taguchi ended the inning by grounding into a double play.

Scott Rolen’s three-run homer was the biggest hit, putting St. Louis ahead, 7-3, and chasing starter David Wells (5-8). Mike Thompson entered, and Ludwick homered on his first pitch.

Looper, who began the game batting .161 with five runs batted in, was in the eighth spot in the lineup, a ploy Manager Tony La Russa has used the last three games in an effort to spark the offense.

St. Louis, which ended a five-game skid, had mustered four hits against Wells, 44, in four scoreless innings before the fifth. He is 0-3 with a 14.33 earned-run average in his last four starts.

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RESULTS

at Houston 2, Chicago 1: Eric Munson hit a run-scoring single in the 10th inning to lift the Astros. The Cubs threatened in the top half of the inning against Brad Lidge (3-1) when Jason Kendall led off with a single, took second on a sacrifice and advanced on a flyout. Lidge struck out Cliff Floyd.

at Colorado 6, Milwaukee 2: Brad Hawpe and Matt Holliday homered to help beat the Brewers, who have lost 10 of 14 games. Prince Fielder hit a league-leading 33rd homer and Ryan Braun also connected for Milwaukee, his 21st.

at San Francisco 3, Washington 2: Randy Winn’s bases-loaded single to right field with one out drove in Dave Roberts and lifted the Giants in the 11th inning.

at St. Louis 10, San Diego 5: The Cardinals tied a major league record with 10 consecutive hits in a 10-run fifth inning, with pitcher Braden Looper and Aaron Miles each getting two.