StarBulletin.com

Victorino and Werth push Phils past Cards


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POSTED: Wednesday, May 06, 2009

ST. LOUIS » The Philadelphia Phillies' center fielder was the big story a day after Rick Ankiel's harrowing headfirst crash into the wall.

Shane Victorino was 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs and Jayson Werth had a three-run shot and four RBIs in a 10-7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals last night. Victorino has a 14-game hitting streak.

“;I don't really want to talk about it,”; Victorino said. “;When you feel good, you feel good. I just want to be the player I can be.”;

Ankiel watched from the dugout in a warmup jersey after escaping a potentially dangerous situation with a bruised right shoulder the worst of his minor injuries, lessening the blow a bit from the Cardinals' first three-game losing streak of the season.

“;You saw it, I saw it,”; loser Adam Wainwright said. “;He was probably an inch from breaking his neck. We're very fortunate he's all right. So's he.”;

Ryan Ludwick and Yadier Molina hit solo homers in a span of three at-bats to help the Cardinals cut the deficit to 4-3 in the fourth. Werth answered with a three-run shot in the fifth off Wainwright (3-1), who walked Ryan Howard on four pitches nowhere close to the zone the previous at-bat to put two on with two out.

“;If you're going to get beat, you can't get beat by him,”; Wainwright said. “;But you can't give up a three-run homer after your team scores three, either.”;

Albert Pujols hit his 10th homer in the ninth off Brad Lidge, his lone hit in eight at-bats in the series. Lidge has allowed four homers in 10 2/3 innings.

The Phillies have hit 26 homers in 17 games at 4-year-old Busch Stadium. Despite a spotty effort from Brett Myers (2-2) and with Chase Utley on the bench with a bruised left foot, they swept the Cardinals in a two-game series for the first time since Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 1981, at Veterans Stadium and won their fifth in a row overall in St. Louis.

Myers said he didn't feel well, particularly later in his outing, but said both of the homers he allowed came on pitches he liked. Phillies starters have only six wins.

“;We don't know why we're struggling,”; Myers said.