INSIDE PITCH
Miami left fielder Logan Morrison's
eighth-inning homer off Cardinals right-hander Maikel Cleto proved to be the
winning run in the Marlins' 3-2 win Friday night at steamy Busch Stadium, where
it was 103 degrees at first pitch.
But the key numbers for the Cardinals
in this one were 2 and 16. The Cardinals had only two hits in 16 at-bats with
men in scoring position. They had at least one man in scoring position in seven
of the nine innings, including the ninth.
The primary culprits were the Big
Three in the Cardinals' lineup, normally a reliable crew. But right fielder
Carlos Beltran (nothing for four), left fielder Matt Holliday (nothing for two)
and first baseman Allen Craig (nothing for one) didn't have any of the hits with
men in scoring position.
"Those guys have a lot of RBI. Look at
their stats. They do come through," said manager Mike Matheny. "It just didn't
happen tonight."
After losing All-Star catcher Yadier Molina to the bereavement list before the game, the Cardinals also had to
replace All-Star shortstop Rafael Furcal after he had legged out an infield hit
in the ninth. And Holliday, the All-Star replacement for Molina, was hit in the
left elbow by a ninth-inning pitch by Miami right-hander Heath Bell.
Matheny said Furcal had been bothered
for a while by a shin issue. He would seem unlikely to play Saturday afternoon.
Holliday stayed in the game but surely will be sore on Saturday.
The Cardinals' one-run loss was their
14th in 22 such decisions. "Another tough loss," said Matheny. "We had a few
opportunities. We just couldn't come through."
NOTES,
QUOTES
C Yadier Molina won't be
at the All-Star Game and won't be playing the weekend series with Miami, either, because he will be in his native Puerto Rico after the death of his wife's grandfather
there. He has been placed on baseball's bereavement list, and C Bryan Anderson
has been recalled from Class AAA Memphis for the weekend. Anderson was hitting .210 at Memphis. C Tony Cruz, who played on Friday, is
hitting .186.
LF Matt Holliday, who has
been in five previous All-Star Games, was named to replace C Yadier Molina, who
is on the bereavement list, for the National League team for Tuesday's All-Star
Game in Kansas
City. "It's always a pleasure and honor to be a part of
it," Holliday said. "Obviously, I feel for Yadi, but I'm privileged to be part
of the game." Holliday is 35 for 72 (.486) since June 16.
RHP Jake Westbrook,
though pitching well, suffered his seventh loss in 14 decisions and blamed
himself both for a defensive mistake and an offensive failure. After fielding
Miami SS Jose Reyes' tapper in the seventh, Westbrook threw off-balance and
off-line to first as the lead run scored. "It's a tough play," said Westbrook.
"But it's a play I've made before." Westbrook also grounded into a double play
to end the sixth when the Cardinals, tied at 1-1, got the first two runners on
and still had men at first and third with one out and Westbrook hitting. "Even
striking out is better than what I did," said Westbrook, who swung away rather
than bunt at 0-2 in the count. "It's kind of the worst-case scenario there,"
said Westbrook.
3B David Freese, a newly
minted All-Star, had one of those good news/bad news nights. He had three hits,
including a run-scoring double in the second inning. But he also committed two
errors in a space of a few hitters in the fifth inning when the Marlins scored
an unearned run. Freese had fielded well all season, committing only five errors
in his first 76 games. "David's been playing very good defense," said manager
Mike Matheny. "Once in awhile, they don't happen."
RF Carlos Beltran
extended his hitting streak to nine games with a fifth-inning single, but in his
four other at-bats, he made outs with men in scoring
position.
By the
Numbers:
2 - Extra-base hits for
SS Rafael Furcal in the last month.
Quote to Note:
"You can't really say I'm
a very good hitter. But I still feel like I can do a little better
there."
- RHP Jake Westbrook, who
had doubled earlier in the game, on hitting into a key double play in the sixth.
MEDICAL
WATCH
SS Rafael Furcal (shin)
had to leave the July 6 game in the ninth inning after beating out an infield
hit. He is unlikely to play July 7.
LHP Jaime Garcia (left
shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 6. After
further examination, it was determined that he has tearing in his rotator cuff.
He threw 40 pitches from 60 feet on flat ground for the first time in a month
July 4. He is out until at least mid-August.
RHP Kyle McClellan
(strained right ulnar collateral ligament) went on the 15-day disabled list May
18, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 30. He won't need surgery
but likely will be sidelined until at least late July. He threw from flat ground
for the first time July 3 and reported he felt good July 4. He could be back in
early August.
1B Lance Berkman (torn
meniscus in right knee) went on the 15-day disabled list May 20. He had
arthroscopic surgery May 25, and no ACL damage was found. He took batting
practice July 2, and he hopes to return to the Cardinals on July
13.
RHP Chris Carpenter (weak
right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26, and he
was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 10. He threw for the first time since
March on June 13 and then threw another 40 pitches on June 15. He threw to
hitters for the first time June 22 but then had a setback June 25 when he felt
renewed weakness in the shoulder. He said it felt better the next day, and he
had an extensive throwing session off flat ground June 27. On June 28, he was
told he has thoracic outlet syndrome, which can cause, among its effects,
weakness in one's shoulder. A July 2 bullpen session was canceled. On July 3,
the Cardinals announced that Carpenter will undergo season-ending surgery July
19 and will be out until February.
Link to boxscore: Miami 3 at St. Louis 2