MLB Insiders
Those who questioned Jason Isringhausen as the Cardinals' closer despite his
11 saves in 13 opportunities had nothing untoward to say Wednesday night.
Entering a 1-0 game with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth inning,
Isringhausen fanned the Mets' David Wright and then got Cliff Floyd on a tap to
first baseman Albert Pujols to preserve a 1-0 win for Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder.
"I'm sure our fans appreciate the job Izzy did," manager Tony La Russa said.
"It took a lot of guts to do that."
Mulder (5-1) helped himself by not allowing any homers. He had given up six
multiple-run homers in his first eight starts but allowed only two doubles
Wednesday, including a leadoff two-base hit by Jose Reyes in the ninth.
The left-hander came out of the game after loading the bases by hitting
Carlos Delgado with a two-strike pitch.
REPLAY: Mets right-hander Steve Trachsel matched Mark Mulder for five innings
but allowed the only run in the game in the sixth inning Wednesday when Albert
Pujols scored from first on a two-out double by Scott Rolen.
Rolen had been
4-for-28 on the homestand before the hit.
"But when I've watched him swing, I don't feel like he's scuffling,"
Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.
NOTES
--1B Albert Pujols was back in the lineup Wednesday despite fouling a ball
off his left shin and then slipping and falling on his back while chasing a pop
foul on a rainy field the night before. But he went 0-for-3 and is hitless in
his last 12 at-bats.
Pujols spent much of his time pregame assuring everyone that he has never
used steroids, that he isn't older than 26 years old and that Barry Bonds just
made a mistake.
--SS David Eckstein is the only Cardinal to start all 40 games this season.
--LHP Mark Mulder is 4-0 at home with a 2.72 ERA.
--The Cardinals' last 1-0 win before Wednesday came on April 23, 2005, when
LHP Mark Mulder beat Houston in 10 innings.
--CF Jim Edmonds' hitting streak was stopped at 11. He had batted .444 during
the streak, raising his average to .276.