AARON BRACY
Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — After making one of two costly errors that contributed to the Phillies’ latest loss, Domonic Brown said regular playing time would help.
“I mean, I’m not out there every day, so it’s kind of tough coming off the bench,” Brown said. “I’m doing the best I can out there.”
Matt Carpenter hit a sacrifice fly in the 12th inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals over Philadelphia 6-5 on Saturday night.
Jhonny Peralta homered for the Cardinals, who have won eight of 10 and closed within a half-game of NL Central-leading Milwaukee.
Ryan Howard homered and Marlon Byrd and Carlos Ruiz each drove in a pair of runs for the last-place Phillies.
Pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso drew a leadoff walk in the 12th from Ken Giles (2-1). Descalso went to second on Jon Jay’s sacrifice bunt and moved to third on Peter Bourjos’ infield single. Carpenter then flied out to deep left.
A pair of Phillies errors helped the Cardinals break a 2-all tie and go in front in the sixth with three runs off reliever Mario Hollands.
“Not a good defensive inning for us,” Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said.
After A.J. Pierzynski led off with a double, Oscar Taveras hit a sinking liner to left field. Brown appeared to pull up on a catchable ball and Pierzynski took off for third when Brown hesitated to throw back to the infield. Brown then threw the ball away, allowing Pierzynski to score.
“Once the ball was caught I think he was focused on the ball and was not aware of where the baserunners were,” Sandberg said.
It’s been a trying season for Brown, who was an All-Star in 2013 but has slumped at the plate and in the field this year.
The Phillies signed Grady Sizemore last month to bolster left field, cutting into Brown’s playing time.
Sandberg replaced Brown in the seventh with Sizemore as part of a double-switch.
“Usually if a play like that happens, I’m going to be taken out, but that’s a part of the game,” Brown said.
Third baseman Cody Asche compounded Philadelphia’s problems by fielding Shelby Miller’s bunt that looked like it was going to roll foul and then throwing the ball away. Two runs scored, giving St. Louis a 5-2 lead.
“Looked like it was going to trickle foul, so that’s a reaction and a judgment,” Sandberg said. “The best scenario is probably that ball goes foul and make him bunt it again.”
Seth Maness (5-2) pitched two scoreless innings and Trevor Rosenthal earned his 38th save in 43 chances.
The teams combined to use 14 pitchers in a game that took 4 hours, 53 minutes.
David Buchanan got his first no-decision in his 14th start, giving up two runs and eight hits in five innings. The right-hander is filling in for Cliff Lee, who is out for the season with an elbow injury.
Buchanan was upset he was lifted so soon.
“That caught me off-guard, honestly,” he said. “I didn’t expect that. I wasn’t too happy about it. But I can’t control that.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: RHP Jason Motte missed his 20th game with a lower back strain. The reliever is 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA in 24 games.
Phillies: RHP Mike Adams will begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. A shoulder injury has sidelined him since June 7. He is 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 19 games.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Justin Masterson makes his fifth start for St. Louis since being traded from Cleveland. Masterson is 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA in three games against Philadelphia.
Phillies: RHP Jerome Williams looks to continue his strong performance since being claimed off waivers from Texas. He is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in two starts with the Phillies.
REVERE’S KICK
Kolten Wong’s drive to center leading off the ninth went over the head of Ben Revere in center, bounced off the ground where it meets the wall and then ricocheted off Revere’s foot over the wall. Wong was awarded second base and stayed there after crew chief Brian O’Nora reviewed the play for a rules check for a deflected ball being a double.
PHILLIES OWNER DIES
Sally Buck, one of the Phillies’ owners, died on Saturday, the team said. She was 83. Buck and her late husband, Alexander, became owners in 1981.
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