INSIDE PITCH
Veteran outfielder Lance Berkman
achieved something Friday night that he hadn't done in nearly three years: He
doubled and tripled in the same game.
Berkman tripled for the
first time this season and scored the Cardinals' second run in the fourth inning
against the Florida Marlins. Then, in the eighth inning of a tie game, after he
had made a running catch in the bottom of the seventh, Berkman doubled to drive
in the go-ahead run and the Cardinals held on for a 3-2 victory.
Meanwhile, rookie Lance Lynn gained his first major league save. With Cardinals manager Tony La Russa
and pitching coach Dave Duncan wanting to give both closer Fernando Salas and
setup man Octavio Dotel a night off, it fell to Lynn to pitch the ninth inning. There were some
speed bumps, but Lynn cleared them, escaping a bases-loaded,
two-out spot by fanning dangerous Mike Stanton on a 96 mph fastball to end the
game.
Duncan had talked before the game about
moving the impressive Lynn into some more significant roles.
"I didn't think it would
be that soon," said Duncan. "One-run game. His heart was beating a
little fast. But sometimes you get put into a position where you don't have a
choice.
"I think he was out there
long enough that he probably calmed down a little bit," said Duncan.
An erratic starter when
he was with the Cardinals earlier in the season, Lynn has grown into a weapon as a reliever.
Lynn said, "I
enjoy it. I'm a person that likes big situations, and I like to have the ball in
my hand when the game's on the line."
When the call to the
bullpen came, Lynn recalled himself saying, "All right. Time
to get the job done."
Boxscore
NOTES,
QUOTES
LF Matt Holliday hit his
fourth homer in his last five games and 18th of the season in the fourth inning.
But the cleanup man also gave himself up in the eighth, hitting a right-side
groundout on an inside pitch to move 1B Albert Pujols, who had doubled, to
third. RF Lance Berkman, who might have been walked if Holliday hadn't advanced
the runner, doubled in Pujols for the winning run. But Berkman wanted to talk
about Holliday's at-bat. "You're talking about one of the best hitters in the
game," Berkman said. "Selfless, just great baseball."
For the sixth time in six
meetings with the Marlins this season (the Cardinals have won four), the
Cardinals' starting pitcher didn't get a win or a loss. RH reliever Mitchell Boggs gained his first win of the season with a scoreless seventh in relief of
RHP Jake Westbrook, who worked the first six innings. Reliever Jason Motte, who
hasn't given up an earned run since June 24, a span of 19 appearances and 13 1/3
innings, got three straight outs in the eighth.
3B David Freese, plunked
on the left side of his batting helmet Thursday night by a pitch from Florida
RHP Clay Hensley, said Friday he felt "better than yesterday. I'm still a little
banged up, but I definitely feel better." Freese, who has a mild concussion and
bruise near his temple, said he no longer was dizzy and his eyesight was "fine"
after some anxious, immediate seconds when his vision was blurred. "I'm just
going to try not to move too quick," said Freese. "I've never had a concussion."
General manager John Mozeliak said he did not anticipate placing Freese on the
disabled list, even the special seven-day list designed for concussion victims.
"Our hope is not to have to do that," said Mozeliak. "We'll look at it day by
day." The most likely scenario is that Freese won't start until he gets back
home and that he might be ready for the start of the series at Busch Stadium
against Milwaukee on Tuesday.
RHP Kyle Lohse, yanked
after three erratic innings on Thursday, has just two wins in his last 11
starts. Pitching coach Dave Duncan said, "I see him throw his bullpens and he's
got great stuff. I see him warming up for the games and he's got great stuff.
When I look back over his games, I see him make a great pitch, a good pitch and
then a terrible pitch. And the terrible pitches are getting hit. I wish I could
put my finger on why that's happening, but I can't."
Manager Tony La Russa and
Duncan are reviewing their pitching options for the Milwaukee series Tuesday
through Thursday. With an off day on Monday, there is a chance that Lohse could
be skipped so that ace RHP Chris Carpenter could pitch on normal rest, which
probably will happen, on Thursday. RHP Edwin Jackson will start the first
Milwaukee game on Tuesday, and it then would be
either Lohse or RHP Jake Westbrook, who pitched in Florida on Friday, to
work Wednesday.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1 - Wins
and saves this season, respectively, by relievers Mitchell Boggs and Lance Lynn,
who were the pitchers of record on Friday.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Well, no,
to be honest with you. I'd much rather hit a big home run or drive somebody
in."
- RF Lance Berkman, on
whether he would rather make a great catch, which he did on Friday, or drive in
the game-winner, which he also did.
ROSTER
REPORT
MEDICAL
WATCH:
3B David Freese (mild
concussion, head contusion) left the Aug. 4 game. He hopes to be back by Aug.
9.
INF Nick Punto (strained
left oblique) went on the 15-day disabled list July 29.
RHP Eduardo Sanchez (mild
right shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 13.
He began a rehab assignment with Class AA Springfield on July 7 but had renewed
soreness soon after and was shut down until late August or early September. He
was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 31.
OF Allen Craig (broken
right kneecap) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 8. He began
a rehab assignment with Class AAA Memphis on July 23.
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.,
Aug. 6 at MARLINS: Chris Carpenter (6-8, 3.85) vs. Javier Vazquez (7-9, 4.88)
6:10 p.m. CDT (FOX
Sports Midwest, KMOX Radio and Cardinals Radio
Network).
VIDEO FROM FOXSPORTSMIDWEST.COM
Lance Berkman, Jake Westbrook and manager Tony La Russa aim to keep things rolling after beating Florida.