Veteran right-hander Chris Carpenter aims for an eighth win in nine decisions tonight when the St. Louis Cardinals return home to Busch Stadium to open a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Carpenter is unbeaten in nine career starts against Los Angeles, going 6-0 with a stingy 1.57 earned run average across 63 innings.

The Cardinals are 7-3 in his last 10 starts. On Sunday in Chicago, Yadier Molina homered twice and knocked in three runs and Albert Pujols went 4-for-5 with a solo shot, as St. Louis avoided a three-game sweep with a 6-2 win over the Cubs. Jon Jay went 2-for-3 with a home run for St. Louis, which had lost four of five coming in and are still 8 1/2 games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee.

The Cardinals will have to get by for a while without their pitching coach. Dave Duncan is taking a leave of absence from the team to be with his wife. Jeanie Duncan had major surgery on Sunday and will need additional tests and rehabilitation. Duncan has been the pitching coach with the Cardinals since coming aboard with Tony La Russa in 1996.  He's also worked under La Russa with the Athletics and White Sox.