Inside Pitch
Not only did the Cardinals not
wrap up the National League Central Division title on their own Friday, they
again didn't help Chris Carpenter, whose campaign for his second Cy Young Award
could have been enhanced in his last two starts.
Carpenter, after having early
trouble with the mound at Colorado's Coors Field where he hadn't pitched in
several years, gave up just one run (in the first inning) in seven innings,
meaning that he has allowed only one run in his last 15 innings. And Carpenter
has two no-decisions to show for it to remain at 16-4.
Discussing his problems with the
mound, Carpenter said, "The mound definitely was different from the bullpen
mound. It was not even close.
"The mound in the bullpen was way
flatter than the mound on the field. I don't know if they do that on purpose but
no question, it's totally different. It was a battle trying to get the ball
down."
Ryan Ludwick's first homer in
three weeks and 21st of the year has been the Cardinals' only offense in the
last two games -- they were blanked in Houston on Wednesday.
Former Rockies star Matt Holliday batted twice with two runners
on and was thwarted each time.
In the third, Holliday, hitting
with men at first and third and two out, sent a scorcher down the third-base
line where third baseman Ian Stewart made a sprawling stop and then strong throw
from his knees for the final out.
In the eighth, Holliday bounced
into a double play with men at first and second. The Rockies then nudged home the winning run in the bottom of
the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Yorvit Torrealba in the ninth and, for the
moment, the Cardinals' magic number remained at one.
Manager Tony La Russa was not all
that upset with the outcome of what he thought was a highly entertaining game
between two playoff contenders.
"I'm disappointed, but I have no
regrets... it was fun to be a part of that," said La
Russa.
Shortstop Brendan Ryan couldn't
turn a double-play ball on a hard-hit ball by Troy Tulowitzki in the ninth,
getting only a force-out and setting up the Rockies' winning run.
"If he catches the ball clean,
it's a double play," said La Russa. "But it was hit hard and it took a funny hop
at the end.
"(Ryan) has played great. You
certainly can't fault him on that one."
ROCKIES 2, CARDINALS
1: After a
two-day respite in which they scored 18 runs in two games at Houston, the Cardinals have
reverted to their recent offensive slumbers. Friday's game marked the fifth time
in their last seven that they have scored three or fewer
runs.
Notes and
Quotes
--The loss for LHP Trever Miller
was his first as a Cardinal. He walked Colorado 1B Todd Helton to open the ninth and
that run eventually scored. But La Russa said, "You don't throw the ball down
the middle to a hitter like that."
--General manager John Mozeliak
said no contract talks with potential free-agent LF Matt Holliday will take
place until after the Cardinals are done in the postseason. If they reach the
World Series, they would have only 15 days to negotiate solely with Holliday and
Mozeliak said, "That would be a small window but that's what it would
be."
BY THE NUMBERS: 37-18 --
Cardinals' record in the first 55 games LF Matt Holliday played for
them.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I nit-pick. But I
feel the progress I'm making is pretty darn good." -- RHP John Smoltz, after his
sixth of six straight good starts for the Cardinals.
Roster
Report
--1B Albert Pujols injured his
left foot while running to first base on a hit in the eighth but stayed in the
game and manager Tony La Russa said, "I think he'll be good to go (Saturday)."
Pujols hasn't homered since he got to 47 with two homers on Sept. 9 at Milwaukee.
--RHP Adam Wainwright on Saturday
will make the first of two starts he has left to try to reach the 20-win
plateau.
--RF Ryan Ludwick's solo homer in
the seventh inning Friday is the Cardinals' only hit other than a single in
their last two games.
MEDICAL
WATCH:
SS Brendan Ryan (sore left pinkie)
did not play Sept. 22-23. He started on Sept. 25.
3B Troy Glaus (pulled left oblique
muscle) has not played since Sept. 12. He is out
indefinitely.