RetroSimba

Derek Lilliquist hopefully will have more success as a Cardinals bullpen coach than he did as a pitcher facing St. Louis.

Lilliquist, named Nov. 2 as the replacement for Marty Mason as bullpen coach of the Cardinals, pitched in the major leagues for five clubs from 1989-96. In six career starts against the Cardinals, he was 0-3 with a 4.11 ERA.

(Updated Jan. 9, 2012: Lilliquist has been named pitching coach of the Cardinals, replacing Dave Duncan).

However, one of Lilliquist’s best-pitched games came against the Cardinals in an old-fashioned classic.

On May 20, 1989, Lilliquist, a rookie facing St. Louis for the first time, started for the Braves against the Cardinals’ Scott Terry at Atlanta. Boxscore

Lilliquist held the Cardinals scoreless for 7.2 innings. Willie McGee, who tripled and singled, was the only Cardinal to get a hit against Lilliquist through the first seven innings.

In the eighth, singles by Geronimo Pena and Ozzie Smith gave St. Louis a chance to break the scoreless tie. With two out, Jose Alvarez relieved and retired Pedro Guerrero on a groundout.

Unfortunately for Lilliquist, Terry also was effective that Saturday night. He shut out the Braves for six innings. The Cardinals then got six scoreless innings of relief from Matt Kinzer, Cris Carpenter and Ken Dayley.

In the 13th inning, the Cardinals broke through against former teammate Joe Boever. Ozzie Smith led off with a triple. Boever struck out John Morris and got Tom Brunansky to ground out to short. Just when it appeared the Cardinals would waste their chance, Terry Pendleton rescued them with a single that scored Smith.

In the bottom of the 13th, Dan Quisenberry retired the Braves in order, earning the save in the 1-0 St. Louis win.

Lilliquist went on to a 25-34 career record with the Braves, Padres, Indians, Red Sox and Reds. He had his most success as a reliever for Cleveland.

He has been a pitching coach in the Cardinals’ minor-league system since 2002.