Cardinals' Beltran gets an unusual save
Upon further review, the St. Louis Cardinals held on to beat the New York Mets 5-4 Monday, gaining the verdict on an appeal play at first base in the ninth inning. Mets center fielder Andres Torres was ruled out by umpire Dave Rackley for missing the first-base bag on his way to an apparent leadoff double against right-hander Jason Motte.
The misstep, if that's what it was, was pointed out by injured Cardinals right fielder Carlos Beltran, who was in the batting cage watching on television.
"When (Torres) hit the ball he was running and looking at the ball," Beltran said. "He never looked at the bag. I saw the sand coming off around the bag area and I just went and told them, 'Let's try to throw to first and see.' It looked like he didn't touch first base. You have nothing to lose in that particular part of the game.
"I saw sand coming off the bag. Normally when you touch the bag you don't see sand coming off. I told Mike (manager Mike Matheny), 'Just give it a try.' "
Matheny called Beltran "our MVP of the game. Great play by Carlos, and he never saw the field.
Motte said he got the word from catcher Yadier Molina.
"Yadi said, 'Come set. Step off. Throw to first. I do what Yadi says," said Motte, who gained his 33rd save as the Cardinals maintained their lead for the second wild-card spot in the National League.
