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ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Opportunity knocked for Robert Ellis and the long-time minor leaguer finally has his first major league win. Ellis pitched six strong innings in an emergency start and Jay Bell broke a seventh-inning tie with an RBI single to give the Arizona Diamondbacks a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. A 30-year-old righthander who began his professional career in 1991, Ellis was called up from Class AAA Tucson to replace Brian Anderson, who was scratched due to a bruised left thumb. It was the first major league start for Ellis, whose three previous big league appearances came in 1996 with the California Angels. He spent most of last season pitching for the Monterrey Sultans of the Mexican League. "It's been 11 years. This time last year I was so far away from the big leagues it wasn't even funny," Ellis said. "But I battled back from a lot of injuries and I felt like a light went on when I was in Mexico. I've been able to carry it over to here." Ellis (1-0) responded by allowing just one run and five hits with four strikeouts. He walked five and put the leadoff batter on base in four straight innings but was able to avoid serious damage with the help of two double plays. "I was impressed with the way Rob Ellis threw the ball tonight. Obviously under a lot of pressure, a lot of nerves before the game," Arizona manager Bob Brenly said. "He said his legs didn't stop shaking until the fourth inning. He kept his composure on the mound." One of the double plays came in the third, when Jim Edmonds flied out to deep center and Fernando Vina was thrown out trying to advance to second. "He did what he had to do," Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny said. "He came at us and challenged us." Troy Brohawn, Byung-Hyun Kim and Matt Mantei each pitched a scoreless inning to complete the six-hitter, with Mantei earning his second save. Matt Morris (1-2) pitched well in defeat, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out five. "I thought he pitched outstanding," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "He does not deserve to be the losing pitcher." Steve Finley walked to open the seventh before Damian Miller and David Dellucci hit into forceouts. Tony Womack singled to left-center and Bell stroked a single to left to bring home the go-ahead run. "Matt had great stuff tonight," said Bell, who was 2-for-4 to raise his average to .371. "I'm sure he'd probably take back the pitch that he threw to me. Other than that, he was nails all night." Finley was 0-for-3 and is hitless in his last 29 at-bats. Miller was hitless in four at-bats and is mired in an 0-for-19 slump. The Diamondbacks scored a run off Morris in the first when Bell doubled and scored one batter later on a single by Greg Colbrunn. The Cardinals tied it in the sixth with the help of an infield single by rookie Albert Pujols that extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Pujols hit a ball that deflected off the second base bag to Bell, who attempted a barehanded play. But his throw hit second base umpire Larry Young in the head. Young was forced to leave and needed seven stitches. "It was one of those weird things where Larry happened to be in the way and I caught him pretty flush," Bell said. Pujols went to third on a single by J.D. Drew and scored on a sacrifice fly by Matheny.
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