INSIDE PITCH
Left-hander Jaime Garcia, after
allowing 12 runs (11 earned) in 3 1/3 innings at Colorado in his previous start, was back in
Busch Stadium form on Friday.
Garcia, who has thrown
two shutouts at Busch already this season, allowed just one run and four hits in
eight innings. After a 6-1 win over the Chicago Cubs, his earned run average at
Busch is 0.46.
Cardinals manager Tony La
Russa said, "He was in command of all his pitches. He didn't throw many balls in
the middle of the plate. He was on the edges all the time. A lot of variations.
Outstanding."
La Russa said he hadn't
been worried about Garcia's previous effort. "Bob Gibson didn't pitch 30 times
and have a shutout every game," said La Russa. "You're going to have some tough
starts. (Garcia) already has proven in a year and two months that he's a very
tough character and doesn't get distracted."
To shortstop Ryan Theriot, who extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a first-inning double,
Garcia was "on a mission" after his outing in Colorado.
"His first five or six
innings, it was like, man, he only threw 80 pitches," said Theriot. "Strike one
every time, and when they did make contact, it was a groundball or a popup. It
was impressive to watch."
The only offense Garcia
needed was a three-run homer by right fielder Lance Berkman in the first inning.
First baseman Albert Pujols delivered a two-run homer in the fifth, giving him
100 in his career at Busch Stadium III.
Garcia insisted he hadn't
let his last start linger.
"It was something that
helped me," said Garcia. "I never really got down, I never got sad about that
game. I (had) some of the guys and family telling me that I shouldn't worry
about it and that everything will be fine. I wasn't thinking that way. I know I
have good stuff."
NOTES AND
QUOTES
RF Lance Berkman, given a
night off Thursday, ended a nothing-for-13 slide with his 12th home run and
first since May 15. Manager Tony La Russa, mindful of giving his players days
off in the tough months of June and July, said, "It's a little money in the bank
if you can give them a little extra time."
1B Albert Pujols hit his
seventh homer in 49 career at-bats against Chicago RHP Ryan Dempster. Pujols
also became the eighth active player to have hit 100 or more homers in his
current park. "That was a bullet," said manager Tony La Russa. "That's the kind
he hits, just line drives that carry forever."
SS Ryan Theriot extended
his hitting streak to 17 games, longest active streak in the majors. He is 25
for 72 (.347) in that time.
RHP Lance Lynn, who
worked 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs in his first start, will get another
start next week, said pitching coach Dave Duncan. But RHP Maikel Cleto, who gave
up five runs in his first inning of relief, was returned to Class AA Springfield
as 3B Matt Carpenter, along with 1B Mark Hamilton, was brought up from Class AAA
Memphis. Carpenter, impressive as a non-roster player in camp this spring, is
likely to make his big-league debut either Saturday or Sunday.
3B David Freese has begun
taking groundballs as he recovers from the left hand fracture he suffered on May
1. Freese is anticipating a rehabilitation option in a couple of weeks.
The Cardinals will have
only one pick, No. 22, on Monday's first day of Major League Baseball first-year
player draft. In fact, they have just one in the first 78.
BY THE NUMBERS: 94 - Home runs hit at Busch
Stadium II by 1B Albert Pujols, who hit his 100th at Busch III on
Friday.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Having one pick means we feel
pressure as a scouting department to deliver on that pick. If we miss on that
first-round pick, our draft has a lot lower chance of making an
impact."
- Jeff Luhnow, vice
president of scouting and player development, on the Cardinals having just one
first-round pick in the first-year player draft and no supplemental or
second-round pick.
ROSTER
REPORT
MEDICAL
WATCH:
LF Matt Holliday
(strained left quadriceps) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June
1.
RHP Kyle McClellan (left
hip flexor strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May
31.
C Gerald Laird (broken
right index finger) went on the 15-day disabled list May 23. He will be out
until July.
INF Nick Punto (right
forearm flexor strain) went on the 15-day disabled list May
18.
3B David Freese (broken
left hand) went on the 15-day disabled list May 2. He had surgery May 3, and he
is expected to be out until mid- to late July.
RHP Bryan Augenstein
(strained right groin) went on the 15-day disabled list April 13. He was
transferred to the 60-day DL on May 16.
RHP Adam Wainwright
(Tommy John surgery in February 2011) went on the 60-day disabled list March 25.
He will miss the entire 2011 season.
NEXT
GAME
Sat.,
June 4 vs. CUBS: Kyle Lohse (7-2, 2.13) vs. Randy Wells (1-1, 5.40) 3:10 p.m.
CDT (FOX Network,
KMOX Radio and Cardinals Radio Network).