As mentioned in the previous post, this game was joined in progress at PH8 headquarters.

Following the score via the MLB At Bat app on the phone showed a rough first inning for otherwise solid Cards starter Joel Pineiro, surrendering a three-run blast to Brewers rookie CaseyMcGehee before settling in to finish seven innings.

Making it through the seventh allowed Pineiro to be in line for his eighth straight win after Matt Holliday put the Cards ahead for good in the bottom of seven with a three-run dinger of his own.

Trever Miller set Prince Fielder down with some filthy sliders and a tight fastball.

Ryan Franklin turned in a very Jason Isringhausen-like save in the ninth, allowing two runs to score before sealing the victory.

Yadier Molina continued to be a clutch lineup cog for the Cards, knocking in the tying run with a single in the sixth after the Brewers intentionally passed rookie Colby Rasmus.

Out of curiosity (and not any real belief he was close), I started to do some research to see if the Cards had a possible Cy Young candidate in their bullpen. Just as I was being reminded how truly special Dennis Eckersley’s 1992 Cy Young *AND* MVP campaign was, Frank imploded and allowed the two runs, blowing his ERA up from 1.05 to 1.37. Frank had a long way to go to match the Eck anyway…

The Cards have now won thirteen straight series-opening games, dating back to July 23. They have lost only one series during that time, and are now 21-6 since the start of August. Heady stuff.

Let’s get that home-field throughout, eh Redbirds?

In another game that many would argue the 2008 Cardinals didn’t have a chance in, the 2009 Redbirds emerge victorious to win another series against the Dodgers, their fifth win this season in the seventh and final regular season matchup with the NL West leaders.

Notes

Adam Wainwright was brilliant early, then seemed as if a switch was thrown in the bottom of the seventh and surrendered two home runs, to Casey Blake and registered Cardinal Killer ™ Andre Ethier.  Waino got raked around pretty good in that inning, seemed like Tony could’ve had someone up and throwing a bit sooner, but what do I know?

Ryan Ludwick’s attempt to start a mohawk fad on the heels of the mustaches seemed a flop tonight.  Luddy was one-for-five with a pretty ugly bases loaded strikeout in the top of the third inning.

The newest Cardinal, John Smoltz is joining the club in San Diego tomorrow, presumably on track to start against the Padres on Sunday.  Mitchell Boggs was sent down to Memphis to make room for Smoltz.

One item of note from watching these games against the Dodgers – their middle infield, Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson – is really good.  Both made some outstanding plays during the series, and while it’s mostly water under the bridge now, both names were being thrown around in the offseason as possible Cardinal targets.  Just sayin…

Clayton Kershaw is going to be a good pitcher someday soon, he has solid stuff.  Tonight he was clearly overmatched by a Cardinal lineup that went deep into counts and fouled off a lot of his best pitches.

Dan and Al mentioned tonight that part of the Smoltz signing was the lobbying of former Smoltz teammates Wainwright and Mark DeRosa.  They added that Waino “vouched” for Smoltz.  Really?  His Hall of Fame career to date wasn’t enough?  The Cards had to get Waino’s word that he was worth the hundred-grand?  We like to have fun…

Albert Pujols didn’t see much to hit all night, unless you count the one that actually hit him.  AP got doinked in the backside again, and while I don’t think it was intentional, Albert seems to be getting pretty fed up with it.

Cardinal catcher Yadier Molina raised his average to .296 tonight with a two-for-four outing that included a couple of outstanding at-bats.  Waiting, fouling off good pitches, seeing the one he wants and driving it, often going with the pitch.  Really like what we’re seeing out of Yadi and his bat this season, following up on the outstanding 2008 campaign.  He keeps hitting like this, he will win himself another Gold Glove (yeah, you read that right).

Seriously, can we just pencil Brendan Ryan’s name in at shortstop for 2010?

Pujols is still leading the team in stolen bases, adding another tonight in the top of the ninth ahead of Matt Holliday’s go-ahead sacrifice fly.  Think these two are enjoying playing with each other?  Both are throwbacks – Pujols doesn’t like the nickname ‘El Hombre’ because “Stan is the Man, not me” and the square-jawed Holliday is just a pure ballplayer.  Holliday stepped to the plate tonight with Pujols on third and knew his job.  Didn’t need the home run (although he had some big hacks).  Couldn’t win with a strikeout or a walk.  He did what a cleanup man should in that position.  Get it in the air and let your man tag up.

Don’t convince yourself that Dennys Reyes beaning Ethier in the ninth was payback for Pujols’ HBP earlier in the game.  No way it was intentional in that situation.  Reyes has just been that unpredictable lately.  No worries, Ryan Franklin cleaned it up.  31 of 33 for Frank now.

Jaime Garcia pitched another solid rehab start tonight in Memphis, settling in after a rough first inning.  This note should not in any way be considered linked to the above note (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).  Don’t bet the farm on it, but don’t be surprised if Garcia makes a cameo in September with the big club.

Link

Gerry Fraley over at FOXSports.com is ready to call the NL Central race.  Love the thought, am confident – but want to see the team put another few games between themselves and the Cubs before we start making declarations.  Nevertheless, the team is gaining recognition nationally now – this recent pile of wins is putting folks on notice.

Better late than never, right?  C’mon Cards, let’s put up some runs and get the sweep!

Matt Capps should be thankful that Albert Pujols cannot throw a 100 mph fastball.  Or that he would likely never bat versus the Cardinals in a situation to be hit anyway.  Or that Albert just didn’t feel like maiming a guy who could arguably be laughed at for calling himself a closer in the first place.

Albert apparently wasn’t happy with whatever Pirates’ manager John Russell had to say after rushing out of the Pittsburgh dugout either, as he was restrained while hollering his two cents toward the Pirate manager and the game’s umpires.

Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed.  Cardinal pitchers refrained from retaliation (perhaps for lack of a suitable matching target) and the game ended without further incident.

The Redbirds proceeded to add on runs and manager Tony LaRussa proceeded to facilitate his bullpen/reliever dance to finish off a sweep (SWEEP!) of the Pirates.

Khalil Greene delivered a perhaps unexpected RBI hit, with other Cards chiming in and capitalizing on Pittsburgh errors and general incompetence.

Cardinal pitcher Joel Pineiro really settled down following a rough start, and continues to be one of the more reliable starting pitchers in this season’s Cardinal rotation.

Tomorrow

Johnny Cueto versus Kyle Lohse.

Lohse has struggled since his return from the disabled list, but could be poised to right his season at home versus a Reds team that has scuffled and will be without potential distraction (and admitted PH8 favorite) former Cardinal, Scott Rolen.

Links

PH8 reader (at least, I hope he still is) and STLToday.com/Post-Dispatch writer Bernie Miklasz writing that Pujols and Tiger Woods are fairly ridiculous specimen that all sport followers should appreciate.

Todd Wellemeyer is returning to the Cardinals’ rotation.  Yay.

Chris Carpenter wasn’t his sharpest.

Albert Pujols continued to smack the ball around the park, but didn’t deliver the big blows.

The Cardinals put together six runs (it’s a serious number) against Pirates’ pitching, and moved one game ahead of the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

Matt Holliday continued to rake, Mark DeRosa has been just as good – and Carp?  Well, Carp wasn’t his best, but even his average was good for eight innings and another win.  Carpenter goes to 11-3 on the season, and while the four-run outburst knocked the now-qualifying Carpenter out of the top spot in the ERA League Leaders, he is still only one game back of the National League lead in wins, despite missing time on the disabled list.

Tomorrow

6:05p CT start in Pittsburgh, Adam Wainwright versus Charlie Morton.

Morton has had success against the Cardinals while throwing for the Atlanta Braves, but with the rotation horses going for the ‘Birds, expect a tough go for Charlie on Saturday.

Links

Derrick Goold writes about possibly our favorite subject, the Pitchers Hit Eighth-style lineup.

Cards Diaspora riffing about the sports radio atmosphere in St Louis.  It’s a good read, space is dwindling in the segment.

This post has taken a complete 180 degree turn from what I was preparing to write.

I said it on Twitter earlier, and I’ll say it again here.

I’m not one typically prone to exaggeration, but that 8th inning may have been a critical turning point not only in the game, but the season

What an effort put forth by the Cardinal hitters today, once they were able to get past Manny Parra.

As has been the case, the Redbird bats struggled with a much-maligned left-handed starter, only to awaken in the eighth against the Brewers’ bullpen.

Parra wound up eventually throwing 110 pitches in seven solid innings of work, but it seemed that it wasn’t until Yadier Molina strung him out for an eleven-pitch at-bat in the fifth inning that he really had to labor.  He worked quickly through the Cardinal lineup, and the ‘Birds only touched him for three hits.

Thankfully, Joel Pineiro was just as masterful.  No walks, a pleasant sight after last night’s debacle, and only a few scattered hits to the Brewers, only allowing them one run.

Pineiro went nine again, his third complete game of the season, and got the win in a great testament to “keeping it close”.

The lineup finally broke through off of Carlos Villanueva in the top of the eighth.  Skip Schumaker led off with a pinch-hit double.  Brendan Ryan tripled into the left-center field gap with the hit-and-run on, scoring Schumaker.  Jason LaRue walked pinch-hitting for Colby Rasmus after the Brewers brought in their only left-handed reliever Mitch Stetter.  Albert Pujols doubled down the third base line (a welcome sight, given his “struggles” in the series) to score Ryan.  That left Ryan Ludwick to deliver the big blow, a three-run home run to make it 5-1 Cards.  All with no one out.  Heck, even Rick Ankiel singled following the Luddy homer.

The Cards only scored runs in the eighth today, but they made that one inning count.

This win marks only the third win for the Cardinals when they’ve started the eighth inning trailing their opponent.  Let’s hope it wasn’t the last.

Random

Pineiro hasn’t needed more than 100 pitches in any of his three complete games this season.

He is tied for the National League lead in complete games, and trails only Zack Greinke in MLB.

—–

Brendan Ryan was as good today in the field as he was hitting that triple in the eighth.

Ryan made two outstanding plays deep in the hole to his right, getting runners at first base both times.

Have the Cards found a guy to solidfy the shortstop position for a few seasons?

Ryan has come a long way from his early stints with the Cardinals.  He’s almost become the calming influence of that infield, and who would’ve expected that?  From him?

—–

The Brewer bullpen surrendered a cycle in the eighth inning to Cardinal hitters.

Single (Ankiel), double (Schumaker, Pujols), triple (Ryan), home run (Ludwick).

—–

Milwaukee manager Ken Macha made some controversial moves in the series, some worked and some didn’t.

Today he got played in the eighth inning.  Tony LaRussa had LaRue jog in from the bullpen before Ryan batted, knowing Macha would bring in Stetter to face Rasmus.  Macha, perhaps trying to call Tony’s bluff on using his backup catcher as a pinch hitter, brought in Stetter right away.  LaRussa proceeded to pinch-hit LaRue, who walked.  Stetter, Milwaukee’s only lefty in the ‘pen then had to be removed before Pujols’ at-bat.

Lesson learned?  Don’t call Tony’s bluff.  Because chances are good he didn’t have a plan until you made your move.  Besides, have you seen those sunglasses?

Tomorrow

Now EVEN MORE day baseball!

Cards start a four-game set, by way of rain makeup, with the Chicago Cubs.

LaRussa and Lou Pineilla have already started their games of cat and mouse, so I’m not entirely positive who will be starting tomorrow.  It seems Chris Carpenter will likely go on regular rest for the ‘Birds and Rich Harden is on the schedule for the Cubs.

Let’s extend that lead boys!

Trying to overcome nine walks from your pitching staff in one game is pretty difficult, yet there the Cardinals were, with the bases loaded and Yadier Molina at the plate.

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

As Brewers beat-man Tom Haudricourt Twittered during the game:

Brewers-Cards, 4-4 in the 8th. If Brewers win, they pull within one. If they lose, they fall three back. Pretty big difference.

Indeed, it is a big difference.  Cards could’ve headed into tomorrow with a start on a big time lead, and a chance to go into Chicago with a full four games on the Brewers.  Instead, they’ll have to pull it together tomorrow to leave Milwaukee still alone at the top.

Colby Rasmus wouldn’t have been bunting with Skip Schumaker on second with no outs in the bottom of the ninth, if I were manager.

Look at it this way.  The Brewers are going to walk Albert Pujols whether you sacrifice Skip to third or not.  He’s not going to be forced into an out.  Why not let arguably your hottest hitter right now have a crack at Trevor Hoffman?

As it turned out, nothing productive came of Colby’s at-bat, and they found themselves with Pujols walked anyway and one less out.

Hey Joe Thurston – I’m really happy you got that bunt single to extend your hitting streak to four games tonight.

Unfortunately, it was just another in a long line of plays indicating that you do not know and will not learn, the game of baseball.  Physical talent?  Sure, enough to hang around professional ball for a while.  Smarts and a know how for the way the game is played?  None.

I’m flabbergasted.  No idea how this guy sticks on this team with this manager in this divisional race.

Random

Lots of ‘Houdinis’ for Cardinal pitchers tonight.  More on that tomorrow.  (Hat tip to @dgoold for the vocabulary lesson )

—–

The UCB Radio Hour was busy again this week.  Mike from Stan Musial’s Stance interviewed former Cardinal great Lou Brock on Tuesday and the regular Wednesday show was recorded live as well.  Get them on iTunes via the UCB logo link in the top right here, or via the BlogTalkRadio player on the United Cardinal Bloggers homepage.

—–

Still lots of chatter about Roy Halladay and whether the Cards could come up with enough capital to land him via trade.  I don’t see it happening, but I’d love to be pleasantly surprised.  Would that be enough to put the FO-haters out to pasture?

—–

So let’s start a PH8 poll…

[poll id="4"]

Tomorrow

Day baseball!  1:05p CT first pitch, Joel Pineiro versus Manny Parra.

Parra is returning from a “get your stuff straight” stint at AAA.  Of course, he’s left-handed, which could cause problems.

While I’d love to see Mark DeRosa at third base tomorrow night, I’d settle for a Brian Barden.  Please, Tony?

Wa-hey!  That’s a winner!

After another frustrating night on offense from the Cardinals (don’t know about you, but I find it virtually impossible to tell anymore if the Cardinal lineup is that bad, or if we are just seeing great pitching each night – let’s call it both), the Cards finally were able to make good against a pitcher, this time Matt Cain who had *it* working.

Entering tonight’s game, the Cardinals in walk-off decisions: 0-4

After tonight’s game, the Cardinals in walk-off decisions: 1-4

Colby Rasmus hit a bomb into the right-center field bleachers leading off the bottom of the tenth inning, precluding another intentional walk to Albert Pujols.

Adam Wainwright was just as fearsome as Cain tonight, striking out twelve in nine innings, and really only getting himself into trouble in the eighth inning.  In fact, no San Francisco runner had reached second base in the game prior to that inning.  Waino, in true 2006 fashion, loaded the bases with no one out, then proceeded to allow only one run.  Not too shabby.

Random

Pujols stole his tenth base tonight, putting him into double digits prior to the halfway mark.  Is a 60/20 season in the making?

—–

Daniel of C70 at the Bat correctly predicted Colby’s walk-off home run on tonight’s UCB Radio Hour.  His bet would’ve paid off far more than mine in Vegas, I took the easy odds with Pujols not seeing a pitch to hit.  Good for Daniel.

—–

Is there a good argument for Ryan Franklin *not* making the All-Star team?

—–

They finally caved.

Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel have taken the Twitter plunge.  Following much harrassment by Miklasz, Leach, and Goold – you can now follow 140 or less characters worth of @JoeStrauss and @cmshhummel.  Enjoy!

Tomorrow

Todd Wellemeyer versus Barry Zito.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have Mark DeRosa in the lineup versus the lefty Zito?  Ah, wishful thinking.  Let’s just get DeRo back before the break, eh?

6:15p CT first pitch, as the Cards look to even the series.

Another day in New York, more of the same.

What is there to be said about this game?  The Cardinals apparently can’t handle the motivation (they can stick the pressure) of facing a former Cy Young winner.

Last time it was Cliff Lee doing damage versus the Cardinal lineup, and today, save for a couple of rough innings early and a lot of pitches, Johan Santana was almost as in control as Lee versus our Redbirds.

Albert Pujols came to bat with the bases loaded again, only this time he was finally retired, the first such occasion in the 2009 season.  His belt to left field was contained by the massive confines of Citi Field (it wouldn’t have gone anywhere in any park, but folks talk about the size of Citi – why not monopolize that?).

Random

Happy to see the Cardinals actually see a lot of pitches versus Santana today.  The Cardinal lineup forced the Mets’ starting pitcher into many pitches early, which likely could’ve chased him in the fifth or sixth inning, had Santana not settled down and the Cardinals not settled back into their routine of swinging early and often in counts.

I know Hal McRae preaches that the first strike may be the only one you see in the at-bat.  I understand the philosophy and greater approach.  I just don’t agree with it.  Take a pitch.  Once.  RYAN LUDWICK – I am looking at you.  Want to get your swing on track?  Maybe see some pitches.  Maybe you should’ve gone on that rehab assignment that you reportedly refused.  Maybe you should swing at three straight (arguably) chump breaking balls outside of the zone.

—–

Ludwick reached base again tonight on catcher’s interference.  That’s the third time this season (for three in his career).  Two have come against the Mets.  Is Ludwick in the wrong spot in the batter’s box, or do the Met catchers love to crowd the backside of the plate?

—–

Hitters are successful at a .167 rate versus Chris Carpenter after he has thrown a first strike.  19 of 26 first pitches thrown by Carp today found the strike zone.

Tomorrow

Things don’t get any easier with the Minnesota Twins coming to town.  The Twins are fresh off of taking two of three from the Milwaukee Brewers in Milwaukee.  We’ll see Adam Wainwright versus Glen Perkins tomorrow night at 7:15p CT.

The Twins have beaten up the NL Central in Interleague play, while the Cardinals have ensured themselves the first  winning Interleague record since 2005 with 8 wins logged already.

Go Cards!

I’m trying to get myself into a regular habit of writing again, so I decided yesterday (with credit due to a lot of other blogs that do this and inspired me a bit) to start writing quick game recaps – just a few things from each day’s post-game thoughts.

Unfortunately, I picked a bad day to start doing this.

The Cardinals did very little to cheer about save for Brendan Ryan and Skip Schumaker continuing to do well at the plate.  Trever Miller was the bright spot on the mound, which is telling, since he only pitcher to one batter.

Seemingly everything went wrong in this game, with errors, pitchers forgetting to cover first base, even the entire Redbird team apparently forgetting how many outs there were at one point.  Best to get it all out of the way in one game fellas.

Random

Matthew Leach noted on Twitter that Schumaker has reached base 21 times in the last 9 games.  Not bad for a guy expected to be the table setter.  Now if only someone would clean the table behind him…

Joe Thurston continued to give away outs, no matter the side of the inning.  More on that tomorrow.

David Wright is good.  Can he expect to see some intentional walk treatment if the Mets lineup continues to be injury-riddled?

With Kyle Lohse’s return from the disabled list looming, Brad Thompson did little tonight to make a play to stay in the rotation.

Tomorrow

Day baseball!  Cards and Mets finish off their four-game set at Citi Field with a 12:10pm CT start.  Chris Carpenter versus Johan Santana.  Who will flinch first?