INSIDE PITCH
Left-hander Jaime Garcia's problems on the road have been well
documented. His earned run average on the road has been more than two runs
higher than his ERA at home during his career (4.68 to 2.42), and, if typecast,
Garcia was just what many people expected Monday night.
Garcia, after ducking out of
first-inning trouble in San Diego when he got two strikeouts to strand the bases
loaded, then surrendered two runs in each of the second and third innings, all
scoring with two outs. Handed a 2-0 lead in the second by rookie shortstop Pete Kozma's triple, Kozma's first of three hits,
Garcia gave up six hits and four runs
in the next two innings and took an early shower as the Cardinals were clobbered
by the Padres 11-3.
Since coming off the disabled list
after he recovered from a shoulder problem, Garcia has a 0.00 ERA in two home
starts covering 15 1/3 innings, and a 8.74 ERA in three road starts, covering
only 14 1/3 innings.
"He had a rough time getting people
out today," manager Mike Matheny said. "When he's got everything working, he can
be unhittable. Other times, when he's making mistakes over the plate or up in
the zone, those don't turn out as good."
Matheny, exasperated, said Garcia
still would be his starter on Saturday in Los Angeles although he admitted he
had considered adjusting his rotation to have Garcia pitch at home and not on
the road.
Asked why Garcia would be so different
on the road, Matheny said, "I have no idea. If I did, then we'd do something to
fix it. There's not a good explanation. It's 60 feet, 6 inches. But you can't
deny it's something he's struggling with.
"We try to do what we can do
proactively. We're not just sitting on our hands and doing nothing. There's only
so much we can do. There's no way to explain it.
"His stuff should play
anywhere."
The Cardinals, whose lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second wild-card spot in the National League shrank to
one game, allowed 17 hits in absorbing the beatdown. But Garcia hasn't been the
only starter having trouble on the road lately.
In their last 12 road games, counting
a previous 10-game trip, no Cardinals starter has turned in a quality
start.
In their last eight road games, the
Cardinals have given up eight or more runs in five of them. They are 1-7 overall
in those eight games.
The Cardinals had a shot in the
seventh with the score 6-3, but left fielder Matt Holliday bounced into an
inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.
NOTES,
QUOTES
1B Lance Berkman will
undergo additional surgery on his right knee Friday, ending his season and
perhaps his career. Berkman returned to Houston, where he had his first surgery
in May, and underwent his second MRI in less than three weeks on Monday, and it
was determined that additional meniscus needed to be shaved from the knee. After
Berkman recovered from the first surgery, he was hit in the knee by a pitch from
Los Angeles'
Clayton Kershaw, and it got progressively worse. "Ever since I got hit in the
knee by Kershaw I've been having issues with it grabbing whenever I get in
certain positions," Berkman said. Berkman on Sunday told general manager John
Mozeliak, manager Mike Matheny and the team's training staff that he was unable
to hit left-handed because his front leg was not strong. "It may be arthritis
and there's nothing else we can do," said Berkman, who had only 80 at-bats this
year.
RHP Jake Westbrook had an
MRI in St. Louis
for his strained right oblique, and general manager John Mozeliak said, "We feel
like we dodged a bullet." Westbrook will miss a start or two, but Mozeliak said
there was every expectation that the 13-game winner would return to the rotation
before the season is over.
RHP Lance Lynn, tied for
the staff lead at 14 wins, will get RHP Jake Westbrook's start Thursday in Los
Angeles as he exits a nearly three-week stay in the bullpen. Lynn allowed four runs in
six innings against the Dodgers in a start in May, but he got the call in this
game over rookie RHPs Trevor Rosenthal and Shelby Miller because of his
experience in stressful situations. "A lot of thought went into it—just the
whole scenario of being in L.A., against
L.A., being
where we are (in the standings) right now. That's a lot to throw on a young
player," manager Mike Matheny said. "Lance has pitched in as many high-leverage
situations as anybody, so we know that's not going to affect him. We believe in
his stuff."
RHP Chris Carpenter,
pitching in his third simulated game as he recovers from surgery to relieve a
nerve condition affecting his shoulder, threw 70 pitches in a four-inning "game"
and said he felt all his pitches were sharp, including a "baby changeup" he said
he had been working on for 10 years. General manager John Mozeliak said he
expected Carpenter to make one more simulated appearance, where he would get to
90 pitches before he would be ready to start.
LHP Jaime Garcia, whose
spot in the rotation is shaky, gave up four runs and seven hits in three
unimpressive innings Monday. Garcia said he wasn't plagued by any thoughts of
the two-run-a-game difference in road earned run average compared to his home
ERA. "Just a bad one," he said. "I didn't get the job done." Garcia (4-7) said
he also was having no trouble with his shoulder.
By the
Numbers:
3 - Number of hits Monday
for rookie SS Pete Kozma, who had the best game of his young
career.
Quote to Note:
"Unfortunately, this is
the last resort. I gave it a go."
- 1B Lance Berkman, on
the additional knee surgery that will end his season and possibly his career.
MEDICAL
WATCH
3B David Freese (sprained
left ankle) didn't play Sept. 9 but was back in the lineup Sept.
10.
RHP Jake Westbrook
(strained right oblique) will miss a start or two but apparently will be able to
pitch again this season.
1B Lance Berkman (sore
right knee) is scheduled to undergo additional surgery Sept. 14 and is out for
the season. His career might be over as well.
RHP Chris Carpenter
(right shoulder surgery) 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. He underwent
what was believed to be season-ending surgery July 19 to relieve thoracic outlet
syndrome. He threw a normal bullpen session Sept. 7 and faced hitters in a
simulated game Sept. 10 in San
Diego.
SS Rafael Furcal (torn
ligament in right elbow) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 31 and is
out for the season. He might need Tommy John surgery, but he got a platelet-rich
plasma injection on Sept. 4 in the hopes of avoiding having to go under the
knife.
RHP Kyle McClellan (torn
labrum in right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list May 18 due to a
strained right elbow, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 30. He
threw on flat ground for the first time July 3, but he subsequently felt
shoulder pain. He had season-ending shoulder surgery July
10.
Link to boxscore: San Diego 11, St. Louis 3