WESTPLEX TODAY SPORTS PAGE: JUNE 25, 2009
It was a night to forget for the St. Louis Cardinals, who were crushed 11-0 by the New York Mets Wednesday at Citi Field. Former Cardinal Fernando Tatis had two hits and three RBI, and Nick Evans smacked a two-run homer for the Mets. David Wright went 4-for-4 and scored three times for New York. Brad Thompson was touched for eight hits and five runs in five-plus innings to fall to 2-and-3 with the loss. Meanwhile, the Cardinals managed just four hits off four Mets pitchers. Fernando Nieve [[ nee-AYE-vay ]] tossed six innings of three-hit ball for the win. Brendan Ryan had two of the Cards' four hits in defeat. Albert Pujols finished 0-for-2 with a pair of walks in the setback.
The Cards will look to salvage one game of their three game series with the Mets in the series finale this afternoon in Queens. New York has won two of the first three games. It should be a good pitching duel today, with Chris Carpenter opposing the Mets' Johan Santana. Carpenter is 5-and-1 with a 1.53 ERA this season, while Santana is 8-and-5 with a 3.22 ERA. The Redbirds are 40-and-33, a game ahead of Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central.
A pair of former Cardinals teammates will be in opposing dugouts as managers of the July 12th Futures Game at Busch Stadium. Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith and former infielder and current Cardinals third base coach Jose Oquendo were announced Wednesday as managers for the annual game that pits top prospects against one another as part of the All-Star festivities. Oquendo will skipper the World team, while Smith manages the squad of U.S.-born prospects. The contest is played the Sunday before the All-Star Game, meaning Oquendo will miss the Cardinals' doubleheader that day against the Cubs in Chicago.
Saint Louis Athletica suffered a 2-1 loss to the league-leading Los Angeles Sol Wednesday at the Anheiser-Busch Center. Athletica lost their second straight match at home despite outshooting the Sol 25-to-12. Trailing 2-0, Kerri Hanks scored her first goal of the season in the 81st minute to get Saint Louis on the board. Athletica is now 4-5-and-2 on the season, in fourth place with 14 points. Los Angeles is 9-1-and-4, in first place with 31 points. Saint Louis kicks off a stretch of four straight road matches this Sunday at Sky Blue FC.
A pair of Missouri Tigers will be anxiously awaiting tonight's NBA Draft in New York. Tigers forwards DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons both hope to be selected during tonight's two-round affair in the Big Apple. Carroll is projected as a late first or early second-round pick, while Lyons is more on the fringe as a possible mid-to-late second-rounder.
Michael Jordan's son has decided to stop playing college basketball. Jeff Jordan announced Wednesday he is leaving the basketball program at the University of Illinois in order to concentrate on earning his degree. Jeff had 58 points, 42 assists and 24 rebounds in 59 career games for the Illini. He averaged 8.4 minutes-per-game during his sophomore season. Jeff received a scholarship prior to the 2009 spring semester. Michael is currently a part-owner and managing member of basketball operations for the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Blues will have the 17th-overall pick when the NHL Draft starts Friday in Montreal. The New York Islanders, who have the top-overall pick after finishing with the NHL's worst record last season, are expected to take either forward John Tavares or defenseman Victor Hedman. The Note may take center Jeremy Morin with their first-round selection. Morin reportedly has excellent goal-scoring instincts. Former Blues first-round picks T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund both contributed to the team's return to the playoffs this season. Last year, the team picked defenseman Alex Pietrangelo with the fourth overall selection.
