News
Hawksworth's stock continues to rise
St. Louis (59-51) at Pittsburgh (45-63), 6:05 p.m. CT
By Brittany Ghiroli / Special to MLB.com
08/06/09 2:50 AM ET
NEW YORK -- If there was a bright spot for the Cardinals in Wednesday's 9-0 glum getaway loss at Citi Field, Blake Hawksworth would be it.The 26-year-old came on in relief of Dennys Reyes with one out in the fourth and allowed one hit over 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Hawksworth was the only St. Louis pitcher capable of stifling the Mets in the game, and he proved yet again to be a dependable arm down the stretch.
"I'm just trying to stay focused on what I've been doing," Hawksworth said, "and that's just stay aggressive in the strike zone, try to get ahead of hitters and just force contact."
The strategy worked well Wednesday, as Hawksworth allowed just two baserunners and appeared to be in total control for the five-out stint. In 12 appearances this season, he is 1-0 with a 2.75 ERA and could be a candidate to help shore up the back half of the Cards' rotation. With the fifth starter spot very much in limbo and the continued struggles of No. 4 starter Kyle Lohse, Hawksworth -- a starter in the Minor Leagues -- has proved to be a consistent arm in almost any situation.
"You still have to maintain the single approach," Hawksworth said. "One pitch at a time, regardless of the score. So that's what I try to do."
In 12 starts at Triple-A Memphis, Hawksworth went 5-4 with a 3.58 ERA, striking out 57 batters and walking 20.
The rookie right-hander earned his first Major League win with three scoreless innings in the Cardinals' 15-inning win over the Dodgers on June 29, and he says he is starting to settle in with the nuances of warming up and preparing out of the bullpen.
But whether he will have a chance to continue to hone that craft remains to be seen.
"I haven't thought about [auditioning for a starter's role]," Hawksworth said. "I read more about it than I do hear about it [from the front office]. That's their decision, and I'll be ready to do whatever they want."
Fortunately for the Cardinals, the rotation question isn't one they will have to address for their upcoming series in Pittsburgh. Chris Carpenter will open the three-game set on Friday and will be followed by Adam Wainwright and Joel Pineiro, who will be tasked with ensuring a winning road trip.
The Cardinals, who at 59-51 have played more games than anyone in Major League Baseball, are a half-game behind the National League Central-leading Cubs pending their game on Wednesday night. After Thursday's off-day, St. Louis will take on the last-place Pirates, while Chicago is slated to kick off a four-game wraparound series against a tough Rockies squad.
Pitching matchupSTL: RHP Chris Carpenter (10-3, 2.10 ERA)
Carpenter is quietly putting together a pretty strong case for his second NL Cy Young Award. The 2005 winner leads the league with a 2.10 ERA, and he has 10 wins despite missing five weeks with a strained oblique in April and May. Carpenter was dominant once again on Saturday against Houston, giving up just one run in the 27th complete game of his career. He struck out five while going at least eight innings for the third time in his past four starts. Carpenter, who hasn't given up more than three runs since June 30, has dominated Pittsburgh over his career. He is 10-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 12 career starts against the Pirates. PIT: LHP Paul Maholm (6-6, 4.75 ERA)
Maholm gave up only one run through six innings in his last start before surrendering three in the seventh. But manager John Russell thought the left-hander improved as the game went on. The big hit against Maholm was a two-run home run that put him behind. It was just the eighth long ball the pitcher has given up this season. Tidbits
Albert Pujols didn't let a left shin bruise slow him down. Just 12 hours removed from getting spiked while sliding into second, Pujols -- who was walking around with a large ice pack on his left leg Wednesday morning -- doubled in his first two at-bats Wednesday afternoon. His first-inning double -- the 368th of his career -- moved Pujols past Rogers Hornsby into sole possession of fourth place in team history. ... Thursday's off-day is the second of three scheduled reprieves over a 10-day period. ... Lohse is winless in his past five starts and hasn't won a decision since May 23 at Kansas City. Tickets
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• Saturday: Cardinals (Adam Wainwright, 12-7, 2.79) at Pirates (Charlie Morton, 2-4, 4.03), 6:05 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Cardinals (Joel Pineiro, 9-9, 3.18) at Pirates (Zach Duke, 9-10, 3.45), 12:35 p.m. CT
• Monday: Cardinals (Kyle Lohse, 4-7, 4.56) vs. Reds (Johnny Cueto, 8-9, 4.23), 7:15 p.m. CT
Brittany Ghiroli is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
