Cards within 0.5 games of wild card

Published on September 2, 2004 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
New Jersey Cardinals News Release


The New Jersey Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals) needed 12 innings to do it, but they kept their playoff hopes alive. Levi Webber doubled to lead off the bottom of the 12th and he scored 2 outs later when Simon Williams, playing in only his 4th game for the Cardinals since being called up from Johnson City, singled in front of a diving Aberdeen (Baltimore Orioles) center-fielder to give the Cardinals (39-34) a 9-8 victory over the Ironbirds (35-38).

The win, coupled with a 3-2 Brooklyn (New York Mets) victory over Hudson Valley (Tampa Bay), pulls the Cards within 0.5 games of both Hudson Valley and Mahoning Valley (Cleveland Indians) for the wild-card lead. The win was a season-high tying 4th in a row for the Cards, and each victory has been by a single run.

The Cards fell behind, 4-0, early in the game but battled back quickly. Down 4-1 heading into the bottom of the 5th, the Cards scored 4 runs, with the big blow being a 3-run, inside the park home run by Sam Herbert. Then, in the bottom of the 6th, the Cards worked a little rally cow magic. Tony Granadillo and Williams led off with a pair of singles and Jose Delgado drove in a run with a sac fly. Matt Shepherd singled and then Herbert drove in his 4th run of the game with a single to center. A Wes Swackhamer sack fly made the score 8-4. Aberdeen bounced right back, however, with a 4-run 7th inning, setting the stage for Williamsheroics in the 12th.

Dan Baysinger (1-0) earned the win for the Cardinals, while David Haehnel (3-1) was tagged with the loss for the Ironbirds. Shepherd, Herbert, Swackhamer and Webber all had two hits, and Williams chipped in three. To go with Herberts four RBI, Webber had two and Swackhamer, Granadillo, Williams and Delgado each chipped in another.

Tomorrow night the Cards look to continue their late season playoff push when they take on the Aberdeen Ironbirds at Skylands Park beginning at 7:15 pm. With the wild-card race coming down to the wire, the Cards will finish up the regular season on Saturday at 5:00 pm at home against the Ironbirds. Friday night is fireworks night thanks to Miller Beer and the New Jersey Herald, and Saturday is Rally Cow Bobblehead giveaway day.

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New York-Penn League Stories from September 2, 2004


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