Sports
Westplex Today Sports Page: June 29, 2009
By Mike Thomas
Jun 29, 2009 - 4:29:21 AM

WESTPLEX TODAY SPORTS PAGE:  JUNE 29, 2009

Justin Morneau launched a three-run homer in the first inning as the Twins trimmed the Cardinals 6-2 in the rubber match of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.  Brendan Harris knocked in a pair of runs for the Twins, who have won three of their last four.  Francisco Liriano fanned six over seven innings of two-run ball to improve to 4-and-8.  Joe Nathan got one out in the ninth to notch his 19th save.  Rick Ankiel and Jason LaRue each had an RBI for the Cards, who came up short for the fifth time in seven games.  Joel Pineiro allowed five runs, including three earned, over six-and-two-thirds to fall to 6-and-9.  Infielder/outfiedler Mark DeRosa, who was acquired in a Saturday trade with the Indians for pitcher Chris Perez, started in left field and went 0-for-3 with a walk in his Cardinals debut.

After dropping two-of-three to Minnesota, the Cardinals continue their homestand tonight with the first of a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants.  Brad Thompson takes the hill for Tony La Russa's squad.  He's 2-and-3 with a 4.50 ERA.  Giants ace Tim Lincecum gets the ball for San Francisco.  The reigning NL Cy Young winner is 7-and-2 with a 2.57 ERA.  The Cardinals are tied with the Brewers for first place in the NL Central.

Looking to make room for the possible addition of a 13th pitcher, the "Post-Dispatch" reports the Cardinals could place infielder Khalil Greene back on the 15-day disabled list today.  Greene was previously on the DL battling social anxiety disorder, but returned to homer in three straight games as the Cards swept the Royals in Kansas City just over a week ago.  He's gone 0-for-16 since, however, and was pulled after seven innings yesterday after going 0-for-3 with an error.  The Cards have just 12 active pitchers after trading Chris Perez to Cleveland on Saturday for Mark DeRosa.  Skipper Tony La Russa said he'd like to have 13. 

The Blues wrapped up the two-day NHL Entry Draft with five picks Saturday in Montreal.  Friday, the Note selected defenseman David Runblad of the Swedish League with the 17th-overall pick.  The Blues began day two of the draft by taking WHL defenseman Brett Ponich in the second round.  Their third-round selection was Russian winger Sergei Andronov.  They took WHL winger Tyler Shattock with their fourth-round pick.  In the sixth round, the Blues took OHL defenseman David Shields.  The Blues added a seventh-round pick in a trade with Nashville, concluding their draft by taking center Maxwell Tardy.  St. Louis gave up a seventh-round pick next year in exchange.  The Blues did not have a fifth-round pick.

Elise Weber scored off a throw-in in the 84th minute to lift Athletica to a 2-1 road win over Sky Blue FC Sunday.  Weber had come into the game as an injury replacement for Tina Ellertson just five minutes earlier.  Eniola Aluko scored in the second minute to give Saint Louis an early lead.  Julianne Sitch answered in the 76th minute to knot the game at one for Sky Blue FC.  It was a big win for Athletica, which kicked off a four-game road stretch after consecutive home losses.  At 5-5-and-2, Saint Louis is in third place, one point ahead of fourth-place Washington and five points ahead of Sky Blue and FC Gold Pride.  The top four teams qualify for the WPS playoffs.  Athletica's next match is Sunday night at FC Gold Pride.