Joel Pineiro was stellar and the Cardinals’ offense jumped all over Cincinnati starter Johnny Cueto in the first 2 innings to take the second game of their series with the Reds 7-2 tonight.
Skip Shumaker, who has been up and down all year, hopefully pulled himself out of a recent slump with a great performance setting the table for the middle of the St. Louis lineup. Shumaker was 4-5 on the game with 2 runs scored and threw out a runner at 3rd base. Adam Kennedy also contributed to the table-setting, going 2-4 with a walk and 2 runs batting from the two spot in the lineup for the first time this year. Albert Pujols did not have a banner game, but 4 and 5 hitters Rick Ankiel and Troy Glaus picked up the slack. Ankiel went 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI while Glaus went 2-4 with a run scored and 3 RBI. Cesar Izturis also chipped in from the bottom of the lineup with a 2-4 day.
The 7 runs was more than enough for Pineiro, who gave up only 1 hit over 7 innings to secure his second win of the year and drop his ERA to 3.75. The two runs were given up by Anthony Reyes on an Adam Dunn home run in the 9th.
These two teams will get right back at it tomorrow afternoon at 12:15pm (Central time), with Braden Looper (4-1, 4.05 ERA) taking on Reds righty Aaron Harang (1-3, 2.76 ERA).
