This was a HUGE game between the Cards and Brewers. Each team pitched their young guns they promptly allowed just 11 hits, all singles and only a total of 3 runs. Troy Forgie for the Cardinals and Serge Bealieu for the Brewers dominated. Both cruised through the first 2 innings giving up just one hit each. In the 3rd, Bealieu walked the lead off hitter but was able to induce a double play, the second double play of three turned by the Brewers in the game. With 2 out, Pat Keys singled and stole second, Bealieu was able to get a ground ball, but a wild throw to first enabled Dave Burke to reach safely, meanwhile Keys was venturing too far from third, and the Brewers were able to throw him out on the play and get out of the inning.
In the bottom of the inning the Brewers took the momentum when Matt Beelen singled, Jason Krottner walked, and the Dave Rivers hit an RBI single. The Cardinals though executed a perfect cut off play and caught Krottner between second and third. So after 3 complete innings it was 1-0. The Cards answered back immediately, when Rick Dow singled and then with 2 out, Jose Hernandez hit an RBI single to tie the game.....Hernandez ended up on 3rd base after the ball got away from Rivers in centre field, but Bealieu got the next batter to strike out to end the inning.
Then the pitching duel continued, as Forgie flew through the 4th and 5th, and then was able to strand runners on 1st and 3rd with one out in the 6th. Bealieu meanwhile sat down all 6 batters he faced in the 5th and 6th. In the top of the seventh, Tom Blair led off with a walk. Hernandez sacrifice bunted him to 2nd base and then Dave Barnes hit a clutch RBI single to center to score the go-ahead run. Bealieu then induced the Brewers third double play to get out of the inning with a 1-4-6-3 beauty.
The Brewers needed to score in the 7th to keep the game going, but Forgie continued his dominance onle giving up a 2 out hit to Matt Beelen as the Cards took the game 2-1.
Player of the Game : Troy Forgie...pitching: 7 IP, 6 hits, 1 run, 3
walks, 8 K's.
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