AARON BRACY
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — In spite of his struggles since joining the club, the Cardinals aren’t giving up on Justin Masterson.
Jimmy Rollins homered and Jerome Williams tossed eight strong innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-1 victory over St. Louis on Sunday.
Ben Revere had a pair of hits and an RBI for Philadelphia, which took two of three from the Cardinals to claim consecutive series wins for the first time since April.
Jhonny Peralta and Oscar Taveras had a pair of hits for St. Louis, which lost for just the third time in 11 games.
Masterson (2-2) was lifted after giving up five runs and six hits in three innings. His ERA ballooned to 7.43 ERA in five starts since the Cardinals acquired him from Cleveland on July 30.
“It’s frustrating but I’m trying to stay positive,” Masterson said. “It’s my responsibility to pitch better. It’s a hard thing when you’re not doing it.”
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny stood behind Masterson.
“It was just one of those days,” he said. “We’ll continue to work with him. He’s a worker. He wants to help us do better.”
Chase Utley’s RBI single put Philadelphia in front in the first. The Phillies scored two more in the second on Williams’ bunt and Revere’s single, and Wil Nieves’ RBI single in the third made it 3-0.
“I just didn’t have a pitch to finish,” Masterson said. “I didn’t have my sinker working. It’s difficult when you don’t have your best pitch.”
Nick Greenwood relieved Masterson and retired 10 straight batters before Revere’s one-out single in the seventh. Rollins followed with a drive over the wall in left. It was the 16th homer for Rollins, who hit just six last season.
St. Louis got its lone run in the fourth on Taveras’ single. But the Cardinals couldn’t get anything else off Williams.
Williams (2-0) continued his fine form with Philadelphia, his third team this season. The right-hander allowed one run on five hits while setting a season high for innings. He was claimed off waivers Aug. 10 from Texas and has a 1.77 ERA since coming to the Phillies after pitching to a 6.71 ERA prior to his arrival in Philadelphia.
Revere, who began Sunday two points behind Justin Morneau for the NL batting lead, raised his average to .314 with his 26th multihit game since June 26.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: Matt Adams was back in the lineup at first base a day after Matheny said he tweaked his back fielding a throw in the 12th inning. Adams went 0 for 3 with a strikeout and showed no ill effects in the field.
Phillies: OF John Mayberry Jr. (wrist) played in his fourth rehab game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday. Mayberry entered Sunday 3 for 11 with a homer for the Iron Pigs.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: St. Louis travels to Pittsburgh for the first of three with the Pirates on Monday night. RHP John Lackey makes his fifth start for the Cards since his July 31 trade from Boston.
Phillies: Philadelphia hosts NL East-leading Washington for the first of three on Monday night. RHP A.J. Burnett takes the mound for the Phillies in search of his first win since the All-Star break. Burnett is 0-6 with a 7.41 ERA in seven starts since the break.
NO EXCUSES
Matheny said Sunday’s loss wasn’t the result of the quick turnaround after Saturday’s 12-inning marathon that took 4 hours, 53 minutes. “We’re a team that doesn’t give excuses,” he said. “There was life. I didn’t think we were dragging.”
BEN ON THE RUN
Revere made all three outs in the seventh inning on long runs in center. He limped back to his position after his second catch and has been struggling with a sore right ankle that was surgically repaired in the offseason. “He seems to hobble on slow-speed plays but going full speed he’s totally fine,” Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said.
PLAYER-MANAGER MEETINGS
Sandberg spoke with OF Domonic Brown and RHP David Buchanan prior to Sunday’s game following their comments Saturday night. Brown questioned his playing time and Buchanan wondered why he was lifted after just five innings.
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