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GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:11 pm
by cprice12
Division games...awesome.
I hate Houston...hopefully this good run continues.
The more games we can win until the injured come back, the better.
St. Louis (5-1) @ Houston (2-5)
By KATE HEDLIN, STATS Writer
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The performance of their starting rotation was a big reason for the St. Louis Cardinals’ disappointing 2007.

So far in 2008, an impressive turnaround by the rotation has led to a solid start for the Cardinals, who look to win six straight for the first time in more than a year Monday, when they begin a three-game series with the Houston Astros.

After opening the season with a 2-1 loss to Colorado, St. Louis (5-1) has won five straight, including a three-game home sweep of Washington over the weekend. Kyle Lohse pitched seven innings of Sunday’s 3-0 win to lower the ERA of St. Louis’ starters to 0.96.

“(Manager Tony LaRussa’s) talked to us about not taking a night off or day off, and I think that’s what we’ve done,” Lohse said. “Even in spring training, from what I saw, guys were out there playing the game the right way. We’ve won some tight games at home, and that’s what it takes.”

Rick Ankiel drove in two runs with an RBI double in the first inning and a solo home run in the third for the Cardinals.

St. Louis’ starting rotation, which had the sixth-highest ERA in the majors last season at 5.04, has accounted for all five wins this season, beginning with Todd Wellemeyer’s victory last Wednesday against Colorado.

Wellemeyer (1-0, 1.80 ERA) pitched five innings in that 8-3 win, allowing one run and four hits while striking out six.

Wellemeyer, who made 11 starts and nine relief appearances for St. Louis last season after being acquired off waivers from Kansas City in May, is 1-0 with a 5.27 ERA in six relief appearances and one start against the Astros (2-5).

The right-hander’s only start against them came last Sept. 27, when he allowed one hit in five scoreless innings but did not receive a decision in a 4-3 win.

He’ll now try to lead St. Louis to its longest winning streak since a seven-game run from July 7-16, 2006 - a streak which began with three wins at Houston.

The Astros are looking to avoid a third straight loss after dropping the final two games of their weekend set with the Cubs in Chicago, including a 3-2 defeat on Sunday.

Miguel Tejada’s first home run with Houston tied the game in the top of the seventh, but Chicago’s Derrek Lee homered in the bottom of the inning for the winning run.

“We didn’t hit enough to have the runs we need, but it’s OK,” Tejada told the Astros’ official Web site. “It’s bad because we lost, but when you play close games like this, it means we played a good game.”

Wandy Rodriguez (0-0, 7.20) takes the ball for the Astros in the series opener.

The left-hander allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings against the Padres last Wednesday, but escaped without a decision as the Astros went on to win 9-6.

Rodriguez is 1-4 with a 6.59 ERA in five career starts and one relief appearance against the Cardinals.

St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols is 0-for-9 lifetime versus Rodriguez - the most career at-bats without a hit for Pujols against any major league pitcher.

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:24 am
by stlmark
We will be facing a 4th straight lefty and we are 3-0 so far. :okman:

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:28 am
by cprice12
stlmark wrote:We will be facing a 4th straight lefty and we are 3-0 so far. :okman:
I hadn't even thought of that....that's certainly encouraging.

How about Ankiel? It's good to see him smacking lefties around.

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:34 am
by stlmark
cprice12 wrote:
stlmark wrote:We will be facing a 4th straight lefty and we are 3-0 so far. :okman:
I hadn't even thought of that....that's certainly encouraging.

How about Ankiel? It's good to see him smacking lefties around.
Yea, it's great to see that we have a left handed hitter that can mash lefties as well as righties. I'm thinking Ankiel gets 30 HRs this year.

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:18 am
by dmiles2186
I already have a man crush on Brian Barton. I like the speed and the leadoff abilities that he brings to the Cardinals.

Hopefully the Cardinals can take advantage of the Astros not-so-great pitching, because man, that Astros lineup is pretty good.

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:28 am
by Mellanby_equals_grit
You know I've always had kind of a rough fandom w/ the Cardinals just b/c a part of me wants to hate them just based on how much everyone in this city has a hard-on for them but ignores the Blues.. But after the season we just sat through and the Cards early start I think I'm gonna actually watch a few games.

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:29 am
by stlmark
dmiles2186 wrote:I already have a man crush on Brian Barton. I like the speed and the leadoff abilities that he brings to the Cardinals.

Hopefully the Cardinals can take advantage of the Astros not-so-great pitching, because man, that Astros lineup is pretty good.
I agree on Barton. I love the speed and it's pretty funny how his helmet doesn't fit on his because of his locks.

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:06 pm
by F Keenan
Cards 4
Stros 2

Ankiel goes yard again. :okman:

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:54 pm
by Blueline29
Grrr. I hate those stupid-ass Crawford boxes.

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:14 pm
by Blueline29
Holy shit, Ludwick! :banana:

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:39 pm
by Blueline29
Stamkos! and Tejada both suck.

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:56 am
by strocklen083
Is it too soon to be looking forward to the demolition of this "ball park"? I mean seriously, that's a fly ball anywhere else but in Houston they call it a homerun!

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:34 am
by Blueline29
strocklen083 wrote:Is it too soon to be looking forward to the demolition of this "ball park"? I mean seriously, that's a fly ball anywhere else but in Houston they call it a homerun!
...and that's not even considering that ridiculous hill in center field. It's baseball, not miniature golf, for frank's sake. :roll:

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:42 am
by stinkdified
Mellanby_equals_grit wrote:You know I've always had kind of a rough fandom w/ the Cardinals just b/c a part of me wants to hate them just based on how much everyone in this city has a hard-on for them but ignores the Blues.. But after the season we just sat through and the Cards early start I think I'm gonna actually watch a few games.
the cards have a huge fanbase and its crazy(which was only reinforced by the 06 season), but what more could you ask for? we could be da cubs and (basically)...(100yrs its beautiful) (god this hurts so much(blues)) not have a championship ever...but why not support the cards? noted, they did have a pretty good hard-on for da blues before the lockout...i just didn't realize how many fairweather blues fans we had for the blues in stl? i mean, the rams suck pretty bad, eh?

Re: GDT: Cards @ Astros - 6:05pm - FSMW

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:11 pm
by dmiles2186
strocklen083 wrote:Is it too soon to be looking forward to the demolition of this "ball park"? I mean seriously, that's a fly ball anywhere else but in Houston they call it a homerun!
Minute Maid Field: Where Routine Fly Balls To Left Magically Turn Into Home Runs Twenty Rows Deep