INSIDE PITCH
After Albert Pujols hit his second
extra-inning, walk-off homer against the Cubs in two games, manager Tony La
Russa had been given one more example of how his first baseman had earned his
impressive reputation.
"Every year, he proves it
more. And now you have the latest example of the greatness," La Russa said
Sunday after the Cardinals' 3-2 win in 10 innings. "That's why he's gotten the
label 'great player.' It's because he does great things."
Pujols' 426-foot homer
Sunday leading off the 10th inning came on a 2-1 pitch. Saturday's homer to win
the game in the 12th came on a 2-1 pitch. The pitchers were different but
Sunday's victim, right-hander Rodrigo Lopez, had held Pujols hitless in 12
career at-bats.
"I'm 1-for-13," said
Pujols, smiling. "I know that. You don't have to remind
me."
Shortstop Ryan Theriot,
who extended his career-high hitting streak to 19, had tied the game at 2-2 in
the ninth with a dramatic, two-out double off of Cubs right-hander Carlos Marmol. But, like nearly everyone else, Theriot was talking about Pujols, who
had four homers in the three-game series, drove in seven runs and even beat out
an infield hit as he slid into first base.
"He's ridiculous," said
Theriot, who marveled at many of the 40,701 fans in Busch Stadium standing when
Pujols came to bat with nobody on in the 10th inning.
"It was almost like
everybody knew it was going to happen," said Theriot. "They were
right."
NOTES AND
QUOTES
RHP Chris Carpenter went
nine innings for the first time this season but still didn't get a win. He has
just one win in 13 starts although Carpenter has given up only nine earned runs
in his last four starts. Carpenter was throwing in the low-to-mid-90s on Sunday
in one of his best outings of the season. His only win came against the Cubs in
Chicago on May
10.
The Cardinals are at a
season-high 11 games over .500 and their 36 wins are the most in the
majors.
SS Ryan Theriot, whose
hitting streak is at 19 games, doubled in his final at-bat, marking the fourth
time he had kept his streak alive with a hit in his final
at-bat.
RF Lance Berkman, who
hurt his right wrist diving for a ball nearly three weeks ago, sat out Sunday's
game for two reasons. He had received a cortisone shot for his wrist Saturday
night. And Carlos Zambrano, against whom Berkman is 11-for-71 (.155) was
pitching for the Cubs. Berkman allowed that a sore wrist was "not good for a
hitter. Or a seamstress." The Cardinals' next series will be in Houston
beginning on Tuesday and former Astros star Berkman, who drove in seven runs and
hit two homers in a three-game set there in April, doesn't want to miss
it.
RHP Lance Lynn, who was
good early and bad late in his first start, will get his second start Thursday
in Houston. The
next time through the rotation, when the team gets to Washington, injured RHP
Kyle McClellan, recovering from a left hip flexor strain, is expected to be able
to come off the disabled list.
OF Jon Jay hit fourth for
the Cardinals on Sunday, marking the fifth different spot in which he has batted
as a starter. He has missed Nos. 3, 5, 6 and 9.
BY THE NUMBERS: 13 - Extra-inning home runs by 1B
Albert Pujols, best among active players, after his two straight walk-off homers
to beat the Cubs.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "By his standards, he's been
struggling. But he's not. He's just not hitting .350 and having 100 homers by
the All-Star break."
- RHP Chris Carpenter on
1B Albert Pujols, who has started to hit like the Pujols of
old.
ROSTER
REPORT
MEDICAL
WATCH:
RF Lance Berkman (sore
right wrist), who injured himself diving for a ball early in May, sat out the
June 5 game partially because he received a cortisone shot the previous night
and partially for matchup reasons. Berkman said he wanted to play in the next
series, against Houston, the team for which he played most of
his career.
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. He is
expected to return and start by the June 14-16 series against Washington.
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
Cardinals
are off on Monday and start a nine-game road trip to Houston, Milwaukee and
Washington on
Tuesday night.