St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) – Aaron Heilman and Adam LaRoche committed costly errors in the ninth inning, the latter of which scored two runs to give the Cardinals a 6-5 win over Arizona, spoiling a sparkling night for Diamondbacks starting pitcher Dan Haren.
Haren pitched into the ninth inning and belted the go-ahead homer leading off the seventh, but Arizona couldn’t hold on and lost for the 17th time in their last 20 road games.
Yadier Molina and Brendan Ryan singled to start the bottom of the ninth. Heilman (2-2) then entered from the bullpen to face pinch-hitter Adam Wainwright, who put down a sacrifice bunt to the left side of the infield. Heilman bare-handed the ball, but his throw to third base bounced and was wide of the base, allowing pinch-runner Jaime Garcia to score for a 5-4 margin.
The Diamondbacks played their infield in and it initially paid off when Randy Winn grounded out to shortstop, keeping the runners at second and third. Skip Schumaker then grounded a ball sharply to first base. Instead of stepping on the base and giving up the tying run, LaRoche came home with the throw, but it bounced by catcher Miguel Montero, giving the Cardinals the win as Ryan and Wainwright scored easily.
Haren was on target for the win after allowing 10 hits and five runs — three earned, but the 2001 first-round pick by the Cardinals was derailed thanks to the miscues.
Cardinals starter Chris Carpenter, who came into the game 5-0 over his last eight appearances and 4-0 in 10 lifetime games (nine starts) against Arizona, was charged with six hits and three runs over seven innings.
LaRoche and Mark Reynolds each hit two-run homers for Arizona, while Felipe Lopez had two hits and an RBI for the Cardinals.
St. Louis scored twice in the first inning as Schumaker scored on a wild pitch and Lopez came home on an Albert Pujols double.
LaRoche homered in the sixth inning to tie the game and Haren led off the seventh with his second career homer – a 408-foot blast to center field for a 3-2 Arizona edge.
LaRoche walked with two outs in the eighth and Jason Motte (3-2) then entered from the bullpen to relieve Trever Miller, but Reynolds homered to right field.
Lopez singled in Winn in the bottom of the eighth to set up the crazy finish.
Carpenter walked four batters and had five strikeouts…Haren, who walked one hitter and had six strikeouts, is batting .435 (20-for-46) with seven RBI this season…Ryan Ludwick (strained right calf) and David Freese (right ankle) missed the game for the Cardinals, while Stephen Drew (sore left knee) sat out for Arizona.