Pham-tastic! Rookie outfielder delivers again as Cardinals defeat Padres

The sample size is small, but it’s clear that recent callup Tommy Pham has made a dramatic difference in back-to-back victories for the St. Louis Cardinals.

After collecting his first major-league hit Saturday, Pham was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs on Sunday in the Cardinals’ 3-1 victory over San Diego.

“It’s nothing, really,” said Pham, who has batted leadoff in both wins. “Just trying to get a good pitch to hit, and when I do, I try to put a good swing on it. I’m just trying to focus on good at-bats, swinging at good pitches, putting myself in good counts, which I’m barely doing.

“It’s the whole process. I’m not trying to go out there and get a hit. I’m just trying to have a good at-bat. ... It’s only been three games, but I am having a great time up here – being up here with everybody. I’m just trying to contribute, just do my part. I’ll stay humble about it and go about my business the right way.”

The door opened for Pham on Friday when he was recalled from Class AAA Memphis. The Cardinals needed an extra outfielder since center fielder Jon Jay was placed on the disabled list Wednesday. St. Louis also is playing without left fielder Matt Holliday.

“He’s sparking us,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “That’s exactly what we were hoping for. We were hoping to bring somebody in here to get us ignited, but it had to be production. Just his presence wasn’t going to do it automatically. He’s delivered. It’s been fun to watch. He’s doing it all.”

Pham’s home run to left in the third inning, against Ian Kennedy, followed pitcher Lance Lynn’s single and put the Cardinals ahead 2-1. The drive barely got over the wall, caroming off a sign that was a few feet beyond the fence.

“I didn’t know the signs were out of play,” said Pham, who stopped at second base before being waved around by the umpiring crew. “I’ll take it. You can’t argue that.”

In the fifth, Lynn had a ground-rule double to right and scored when Pham doubled to the gap in left-center to make it 3-1.

“You don’t see it too many times where the pitcher gets on and scores two of the three runs,” Lynn said. “(Pham) has done good since he got here. He can do a lot of things. He’s got some speed, he’s got some power. He showed that today with the extra-base hits. It’s exciting for him.”

Pham, 27, had a better-than-average chance to make the Cardinals out of spring training, but he was derailed by a quadriceps injury in spring training. He finally started playing again in early June and batted .338 with five homers and 21 RBIs at Class AAA Memphis prior to his recall.

“We’ve seen very little of him,” Matheny said. “Even in spring training, when we’ve tried to (see) him in the past, injuries have been in the way. We see the reports, we hear all the manager’s notes that he’s making great progress. Obviously, there’s a lot of athleticism there, the way he moves, as strong as he is.

“Something clicked. You just never know when that happens for a young player. He’s definitely in a great spot. Right now, we just want to keep him going, keep him healthy and try to figure out a way to maximize what he’s got.”

Lynn’s outing

Lynn’s two-hit game was the first of his career, but he was even better on the mound as he improved to 6-4 and dropped his ERA to 2.53.

Lynn allowed one unearned run on three hits in seven innings, walked three and struck out eight. He set down 11 in a row from the third until the seventh.

“As the game went on, I was able to get it on the corners like I wanted to,” said the strapping right-hander. “I was cutting some things and had some things run off early on, but I was able to correct those as the game went on.”

Matheny said Lynn didn’t want to exit for pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds in the seventh even though Lynn wasn’t going work the eighth after throwing 106 pitches.

“He seems pretty proud of that stroke right now,” Matheny said.

Lynn is 6-for-26 (.231) this season with two doubles and one RBI.

“I think I might be running out of luck when it comes to hitting, but I’ll take it.”

Walden to throw

Reliever Jordan Walden, sidelined since late April with a right biceps strain, will throw off the bullpen mound Monday in Chicago.

“Very encouraging,” Matheny said. “He’s been moving along very well, staying with the plan. You can tell he’s getting stronger, getting closer.”

Walden is 0-1 with an 0.87 ERA in 12 games. The Cardinals hoped Walden would return to the bullpen mix before the All-Star break, but now count on him being back afterwards.

This story was originally published July 5, 2015 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Pham-tastic! Rookie outfielder delivers again as Cardinals defeat Padres."