Posted on July 18, 2011 at 7:10 AM
Filed Under: Cincinnati Reds | Heroes and Goats | St. Louis Cardinals

Hero: Albert Pujols.  His two-run home run should have won the game for the Cards.

Goat: Fernando Salas. Not as much for Phillips's HR, because while it wasn't a great pitch, it wasn't a meatball, but more for letting Zack Cozart get on ahead of him, meaning the HR won the game instead of tying it.

Notes: Cards were a very patient team, drawing six walks.  Didn't do a lot of hitting, but made the best of a bases-loaded, nobody out situation in the seventh (plus an error by Phillips).  Jake Westbrook had a solid game, but he just couldn't figure out Chris Heisey.  Trever Miller again wasn't able to get a lefty out, allowing a double to Joey Votto that gave back the lead the Cards had just taken.

Hero: Albert Pujols.  The three-run shot was about all the Cards got, and it was all they needed.

Goat: David Freese.  0-3, though he did draw a walk.

Notes: Another great outing by Chris Carpenter.  He didn't throw quite as many pitches as he has recently, but still ran it up there.  Fanned seven and walked three, but only allowed one run in eight.  Carpenter starts are again becoming must-see events.  Great work by Salas to bounce back after the outing the night before to have a solid save.  Also good to see Jon Jay have a three-hit night subbing in for Colby Rasmus, just stirring the pot that much more.

Sunday (3-1 loss)

Hero: Lance Berkman.  Put up the only run with his solo shot.

Goat: Ryan Theriot.  Not only did he go 0-3 in the leadoff role, but then completely snapped on a play in the sixth inning.  I'm not sure if his foot touched the bag on that play or not--Skip Schumaker has to shoulder some of that by throwing a bit too high and wide to the bag--but there was absolutely no reason to completely flip out like that.  He was a bit more apologetic after the game, but if he did bump the umpire and is suspended for a couple of games, that kinda hurts, especially with the news that Nick Punto is going on this disabled list.

Notes: Jaime Garcia pitched a very good game, especially when you factor in the fact that he's struggled so much on the road.  The Theriot play did come around to hurt him, but the biggest reason for that is Garcia threw two wild pitches in that inning.  The first was probably more of a passed ball, a ball that Yadier Molina might have corralled but Tony Cruz allowed to slide too far away.  The second, though, was the shortest pitch I've ever seen.  It bounced a good couple of feet in front of the plate and then went high over Cruz's head, allowing the tying run to score.  Besides that and a triple to Miguel Cairo, he was solid all the way through, which is something you like to see.  Punto gutted out a great at-bat in the eighth that culminated in a base hit, something that looked to be significant when Molina hit a flare over the infield.  Unfortunately, Phillips went back and made a nice play, robbing the Cards of tying up the game.

Still a lot swirling around about Colby Rasmus this weekend.  Tony La Russa pinch hit for him with Molina in the eighth, which really made sense due to the fact that a lefty was on the mound and given how much Rasmus is scuffling right now.  Colby's father came out and said he's not really working with Rasmus, which is interesting given the comments from La Russa earlier.  John Mozeliak continues to reiterate that Rasmus isn't going anywhere, but how much of that is public posturing, how much is trying to keep the market for Rasmus up, and how much is truth depends on which portion of the fan base you ask.  Joe Strauss said on Twitter that he believes the chances are "higher than 5%" that Rasmus as dealt at the trading deadline.  I still don't see him going anywhere, but the odds are better than before.

Cards are off today before playing the Big Apple tomorrow.  We'll talk about pitching matchups then!