Two Teams, Two Places, Two Wins: St. Louis Cardinals Win a Pair

Work has kept me from blogging at my normal routine, but I wanted to hit the highs and lows of the last couple of days.  Thankfully, there have been plenty of highs and not too many of the lows as the Cardinals have beaten both Arizona and, much more important to Cardinal Nation, Chicago on back-to-back days.

First, the Cardinals had to finish off the desert.  It'd have been pretty easy for them to come out flat.  It was getaway day, a day game after a night game, and the day after such a crushing defeat and the loss of Chris Carpenter.  Instead, the bats were alive in a spring-training type game, where no lead was safe.

It seems like every day Yadier Molina is doing something to help the team win.  A three for three day with a run and two RBI definitely helped matters on Wednesday. 

Lots of bats were working in that game, though.  Ryan Ludwick allowed the peanut gallery of second-guessers (including yours truly) plenty of ammunition after his questionable lack of pinch-hitting on Tuesday with a two-run home run and an RBI single after a walk of Pujols.

The down side of that game would probably be Joel Pineiro.  Sure, it was pretty cool that he got a stolen base, but it was flashes of last year, as he was staked to a large lead and then did his best to fritter it away. 

With his strong spring and good first start, there was hope that he had turned the corner and could have a productive year.  While he still may, this game was fodder for those that figure he hasn't changed at all.

Then the Cardinals got on a plane for Chicago to play the second in what will be four straight day games.  Of course, it's always fun with the Cards and Cubs get together.  More fun when the Cardinals win, of course, which they did today.

As I said, work has me out of my normal routine and so I didn't hear or see anything on this game today.  Reading the recaps and looking at the box score, though, I think Chris Duncan edges out the surprising Brian Barden (I've got to start writing players off sooner if they are going to respond like he has—Rick Ankiel, you're next!) for the Hero award. 

As Casey Stengel said, "I don't like guys who drive in two runs and let in three."  However, if you drive in three runs and only let in one, I think you're OK in most people's books, at least on a short-term basis.

Barden went yard for the second time in his career and the second time this week.  Perhaps he really is getting the hang of this major league stuff.  He also had three hits and raised his average all the way to .412.  Nice to see Khalil Greene get his first Cardinal homer as well.

If it wasn't for his apparent heroics in the sixth, I'd have been tempted to give Adam Wainwright the Goat tag.  Wainwright just hasn't seemed to have his command yet this year, but he finds ways to keep the team in the game and, often enough, get himself the win as well. 

Four walks in six innings isn't good, though, and if he can't find the plate more this season is going to get away from him in a hurry.

So the Goat came down to Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick, both who were 1 for 5.  I think I'll go with Ankiel, because even though Ludwick left more men on, he still drove in a run.  Maybe these Goat tags will get Rick motivated!

Tomorrow's game is the major league debut of PJ Walters.  I'm sure someone knows, but I wonder when a Cardinal pitcher made his debut against the Cubs and in Wrigley Field to boot. 

It's going to be a pretty hostile environment, so if he's able to keep the Cards in the game, it'll be a great achievement.  Bernie Mikalsz is not a believer; he's got another one of his thinly disguised jabs at Jeff Luhnow and the minor leagues up at the Post-Dispatch.

In closing, having the All-Star Game in St. Louis means that Cardinal players get to be front and center in the promotions.  Albert Pujols will be part of the State Farm "Call Your Shot" promotion and Ozzie Smith will be dealing with FanFest.  Nice to see these guys on the national stage!