You have to love a series like this. I know it’s not as dramatic as Cardinals vs. Cubs, but it’s nice to run into a bad team now and then, especially if you convert like you should and sweep them.
On Monday, Chris Carpenter improved to 3-1. He gave up a number of hits (eight) in six innings but only two Pirates crossed the plate. Albert Pujols hit his league leading twelth homerun of the season and So Taguchi had three singles and two RBIS. Hector Luna drove in two runs with two singles.
It was Jeff Suppan’s turn on Tuesday, and he picked up his first win of the season. Suppan gave up three unearned runs on four hits in seven innings of work. Brandon Looper did his job in the eighth, and then Jason Isringhausen pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his sixth save of the season. Juan Encarnacion finally had a good game and he came a single short of hitting for the cycle. He drove in four runs and Pujols scored twice. Luna continued to hit the ball well and he had three hits and a run.
There was plenty of drama in today’s game. The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead on RBI singles by Scott Spiezio and Aaron Miles. Craig Wilson hit a two run homerun to tie things up for the Pirates, but the Cardinals answered in the fifth and took the lead back on Encarnancion’s sac. fly. Then Jose Hernandez tied the game up with a solo homerun off of Jason Isringhausen in the top of the ninth to tie the game up.
Pujols again came through for the Cardinals and in the bottom of the ninth. He singled home David Eckstein to win the game. Eckstein scored three of the four Cardinals runs, and five different Cardinals had two hits. Mark Mulder walked five and gave up five hits in 7 2/3 innings. Isringhausen picked up the win despite blowing his second save of the season.
The Cardinals host another weak team this weekend. The Nationals come to town for four games, and anything less then a split would be disappointing. I’m hoping the Cardinals win all four and move into the top spot in the NL Central where they belong.
