Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park offered the Cardinals several reasons for jubilation, one for dismay.
The outcome was a 7-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds, a decision for Mitchell Boggs in his debut as a major-league starting pitcher, and consternation over how an overachieving club retains momentum without enforcer Albert Pujols.
The Cardinals' first baseman crumpled one step out of the batter's box during the seventh inning after aggravating a left calf strain that limited him to pinch-hit duty during last Thursday's split doubleheader in Washington. This time Pujols screamed out in pain and had to be helped from the field. "Normally you try and enjoy the moment and deal with everything tomorrow. But it's pretty tough to enjoy it when I don't think there's a way he's going to avoid the disabled list," manager Tony La Russa said. "That's baseball. That's a blow." Pujols left the stadium before the game's conclusion and will return to St. Louis this morning to be examined by team medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta.
Though the club has yet to officially put Pujols on the disabled list, it is enough of a formality that it summoned Chris Duncan 12 days after he was optioned to Class AAA Memphis.
After falling, Pujols tried to stretch the muscle before assistant trainer Greg Hauck got to him. Catcher Yadier Molina and reliever Ron Villone lifted Pujols, who recoiled after once touching his left toe to the ground on the way to the dugout.
Pujols grimaced while being carried and, according to one teammate, shook in pain.
"It's huge. You don't have to ask me. Everybody knows that," said center fielder Rick Ankiel, who teamed with Pujols to hit back-to-back home runs off Reds starter Homer Bailey during the Cardinals' four-run third inning. "There's one Albert."
The Cardinals appeared to have the game in hand when Pujols reached for an outside breaking pitch in his fourth plate appearance. He went down quickly and heavily. The club initially described the condition as the same that bothered him last week.
Pujols would become the first Cardinals position player to land on the disabled list this season.
Tuesday's win lifted the Cardinals to 5-2 on the current nine-game trip and left them 12 games over .500 (39-27) for the first time since July 30, 2006.
The possible extended loss of their offensive centerpiece muted a night otherwise made for celebration for the Cardinals. Boggs, who last Friday became the eighth Cardinal to make his major-league debut this season, allowed two runs in five innings before handing a 5-2 lead to his bullpen.
Batting immediately ahead of Pujols, right fielder Ryan Ludwick detonated the game with four hits and four RBIs, three with two outs. The night left Ludwick with a team-high 50 RBIs and rescued a five-for-25 trip.
"The timing was better. I just stayed on the ball a lot better tonight," Ludwick said.
Ludwick made it a 5-0 game in the fourth inning with a two-out double, cranked a solo home run in the seventh and drove in second baseman Brendan Ryan for his fourth RBI with a two-out single in the ninth.
Even an impressive win couldn't divert La Russa's attention from Pujols' situation. "To re-injure it I think means it's so much worse," La Russa said. "The best thing is for him to get checked and plan to do without him."
"He's unbelievable. We're going to have to find ways to scrap and claw and continue to find ways to win," Ludwick said.
Tuesday offered the latest to a flurry of body blows on this trip.
The open-ended loss of ace Adam Wainwright to an injured middle finger on his pitching hand has created fresh challenges for a consistent but not overly durable rotation. Pujols anchors a lineup filled with relatively inexperienced grinders. "We've got something going. He's at least tied for first for the best player in baseball," La Russa said. "You start thinking about playing without him, you've got to deal with it. But it's a big thing."
Boggs displayed none of the problems that torpedoed former minor-league teammate Mike Parisi in two starts. Boggs walked two during a scoreless first inning but allowed only one hit before Reds first baseman Joey Votto ruined his shutout with a fourth-inning two-run home run.
"There's a lot more people here. The guys are really talented. But Tony told me the day I got here not to do anything extra," Boggs said. "He told me I'm good enough to be here. If I wasn't I wouldn't be here. He told me to pitch to my strengths, and tonight I was able to do that."
Boggs allowed a double to third baseman Edwin Encarnacion before retiring five of the last six batters he faced. Villone, Kyle McClellan, Chris Perez and Russ Springer then worked four scoreless innings.
The outcome was a 7-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds, a decision for Mitchell Boggs in his debut as a major-league starting pitcher, and consternation over how an overachieving club retains momentum without enforcer Albert Pujols.
The Cardinals' first baseman crumpled one step out of the batter's box during the seventh inning after aggravating a left calf strain that limited him to pinch-hit duty during last Thursday's split doubleheader in Washington. This time Pujols screamed out in pain and had to be helped from the field. "Normally you try and enjoy the moment and deal with everything tomorrow. But it's pretty tough to enjoy it when I don't think there's a way he's going to avoid the disabled list," manager Tony La Russa said. "That's baseball. That's a blow." Pujols left the stadium before the game's conclusion and will return to St. Louis this morning to be examined by team medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta.
Though the club has yet to officially put Pujols on the disabled list, it is enough of a formality that it summoned Chris Duncan 12 days after he was optioned to Class AAA Memphis.
After falling, Pujols tried to stretch the muscle before assistant trainer Greg Hauck got to him. Catcher Yadier Molina and reliever Ron Villone lifted Pujols, who recoiled after once touching his left toe to the ground on the way to the dugout.
Pujols grimaced while being carried and, according to one teammate, shook in pain.
"It's huge. You don't have to ask me. Everybody knows that," said center fielder Rick Ankiel, who teamed with Pujols to hit back-to-back home runs off Reds starter Homer Bailey during the Cardinals' four-run third inning. "There's one Albert."
The Cardinals appeared to have the game in hand when Pujols reached for an outside breaking pitch in his fourth plate appearance. He went down quickly and heavily. The club initially described the condition as the same that bothered him last week.
Pujols would become the first Cardinals position player to land on the disabled list this season.
Tuesday's win lifted the Cardinals to 5-2 on the current nine-game trip and left them 12 games over .500 (39-27) for the first time since July 30, 2006.
The possible extended loss of their offensive centerpiece muted a night otherwise made for celebration for the Cardinals. Boggs, who last Friday became the eighth Cardinal to make his major-league debut this season, allowed two runs in five innings before handing a 5-2 lead to his bullpen.
Batting immediately ahead of Pujols, right fielder Ryan Ludwick detonated the game with four hits and four RBIs, three with two outs. The night left Ludwick with a team-high 50 RBIs and rescued a five-for-25 trip.
"The timing was better. I just stayed on the ball a lot better tonight," Ludwick said.
Ludwick made it a 5-0 game in the fourth inning with a two-out double, cranked a solo home run in the seventh and drove in second baseman Brendan Ryan for his fourth RBI with a two-out single in the ninth.
Even an impressive win couldn't divert La Russa's attention from Pujols' situation. "To re-injure it I think means it's so much worse," La Russa said. "The best thing is for him to get checked and plan to do without him."
"He's unbelievable. We're going to have to find ways to scrap and claw and continue to find ways to win," Ludwick said.
Tuesday offered the latest to a flurry of body blows on this trip.
The open-ended loss of ace Adam Wainwright to an injured middle finger on his pitching hand has created fresh challenges for a consistent but not overly durable rotation. Pujols anchors a lineup filled with relatively inexperienced grinders. "We've got something going. He's at least tied for first for the best player in baseball," La Russa said. "You start thinking about playing without him, you've got to deal with it. But it's a big thing."
Boggs displayed none of the problems that torpedoed former minor-league teammate Mike Parisi in two starts. Boggs walked two during a scoreless first inning but allowed only one hit before Reds first baseman Joey Votto ruined his shutout with a fourth-inning two-run home run.
"There's a lot more people here. The guys are really talented. But Tony told me the day I got here not to do anything extra," Boggs said. "He told me I'm good enough to be here. If I wasn't I wouldn't be here. He told me to pitch to my strengths, and tonight I was able to do that."
Boggs allowed a double to third baseman Edwin Encarnacion before retiring five of the last six batters he faced. Villone, Kyle McClellan, Chris Perez and Russ Springer then worked four scoreless innings.
