WESTPLEX TODAY SPORTS PAGE: JUNE 30, 2009
Travis Ishikawa and Juan Uribe homered, and Tim Lincecum fired a two-hit shutout, as the Giants crushed the Cardinals 10-0 at Busch Stadium. Ishikawa belted a three-run blast in the fourth inning and Uribe added a solo shot in the eighth for San Francisco. Bengie Molina had three hits and an RBI, and Edgar Renteria added a three-run double for the Giants. Lincecum struck out eight without a walk to move to 8-and-2 with the win. He needed just 95 pitches for his third complete game in his last four starts. Brad Thompson gave up four runs in six frames to fall to 2-and-4 with the loss. Clayton Mortensen allowed six more, but just two earned, over the final three frames in relief. Rick Ankiel singled in the fifth and Albert Pujols doubled in the seventh for the only St. Louis hits. The Cards have lost five-of-six.
Mark DeRosa is still looking for his first hit as a Cardinal. Playing both third and first base last night against San Francisco, DeRosa went 0-for-4 in his second game in a St. Louis uniform. DeRosa was 0-for-3 with a walk Sunday against the Twins after being acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Indians on Saturday. He's now 0-for-7 with a walk in two games with the Cards. Pitcher Chris Perez, who went to the Tribe in the deal, made his Indians debut last night. Perez was tagged for four runs in just two-thirds of an inning, hitting two batters.
As expected, the Cardinals put infielder Khalil Greene back on the 15-day disabled list Monday as he continues to battle a social anxiety disorder. Greene homered in three straight games in Kansas City just over a week ago after returning from the DL, but had struggled since. The Cardinals filled the roster spot by purchasing the contract of pitcher Clayton Mortensen from Triple-A Memphis. He had a rough go in last night's game, giving up six runs, including two earned, in relief of starter Brad Thompson in the 10-0 loss to the Giants.
A marquee pitching matchup is on tap tonight at Busch Stadium as the Cardinals and Giants play the second of their four-game series. Chris Carpenter gets the start for the Redbirds, while the Giants counter with Randy Johnson. Carpenter is 5-and-2 on the season with a 1.78 ERA. He allowed three runs in seven innings in a 3-2 loss to the Mets last week. Johnson, who recorded his 300th careeer victory earlier this month, is 7-and-5 with a 4.68 ERA. The 45-year-old "Big Unit" has won four of his last five decisions overall. At 41-and-37, the Cardinals have fallen a game back of the Brewers for first place in the NL Central.
With just days left in All-Star voting, it looks like Albert Pujols will be the starting first baseman for the National League. Pujols has an almost two-million vote lead over Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard to start the July 14th Midsummer Classic at Busch Stadium. The slugger also is about 90-thousand votes ahead of Phillies second baseman Chase Utley for the overall lead in the Senior Circuit. Cards catcher Yadier Molina seems headed to the All-Star Game as well. He has about a 388-thousand vote lead over the Braves' Brian McCann for the starting spot behind the plate. Skip Schumaker is fourth among NL second baseman. Online voting for this year's All-Star Game ends at 10:59 p.m. on Thursday.
Defenseman Jay McKee won't be back with the Blues next season. The Blues announced Monday they have bought out the final year of McKee's contract. The 31-year-old defensive specialist had one goal and eight points in 69 games with St. Louis last season, his third with the club. The "Post-Dispatch" reports the Blues will be responsible for two-thirds of the $4-million the 12-year veteran was due next season. McKee originally inked a four-year, $16-million deal with the Blues when he left the Sabres as a free agent in 2006.
