News
Cards not planning to play hare in race
St. Louis (73-54) vs. Houston (61-64), 7:15 p.m. CT
By B.J. Rains / MLB.com
08/25/09 11:05 PM ET
ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals may have a healthy nine-game lead in the National League Central with a little more than a month to play, but that doesn't mean they are putting things on cruise control. While fans and others may think the Cardinals have the division wrapped up, they plan to continue charging hard until they mathematically clinch a postseason spot. "People could look at the standings and feel like we could coast into this thing, but we are preparing the same way," said reliever Blake Hawksworth. "We are putting in the same work. Nothing has changed. We are doing exactly what we have been doing. And I don't see that changing." The Cardinals are 21-8 since adding Matt Holliday and Julio Lugo to the lineup on July 24, and they haven't lost successive games since losing two to the Phillies on July 25-26. They are 14-3 in their past 17 games as they continue to look more and more like a team that could do some major damage come October. But as the lead continues to grow in the NL Central race, manager Tony La Russa hopes the Cardinals can keep the pedal to the metal. "I think this is a special group of guys, enough of the guys have been through it, and they know that you can't take anything for granted," La Russa said. "I think our attitude is that all we have done is put ourselves in the race. Now we have to work to the finish line. But human nature is human nature, and we just have to work against it." The Cardinals and Cubs were tied atop of the division on Aug. 6. St. Louis proceeded to open up a nine-game lead in just over two weeks. And that lead looks as if it could continue to grow as the Cardinals send Joel Pineiro to the hill on Wednesday night against the Astros. Pineiro is having one of the best seasons of his career. The Cardinals have won 10 of his past 11 starts, including a 5-1 win on Thursday in San Diego, where he gave up one run in 7 1/3 innings. A slowdown appears nowhere in sight with Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright and newly acquired John Smoltz joining in the fun on the mound. After missing the playoffs in 2007 and '08, the Cardinals would need a monumental collapse to miss it this time around. "I can't imagine how cool the playoffs would be with the atmosphere and having the game on the line every outing, every pitch," Hawksworth said. "It's going to be awesome." As long as they continue to chug ahead. Pitching matchupSTL: RHP Joel Pineiro (12-9, 3.15 ERA)
As long as the defense makes the plays, Pineiro is tough to beat. He's been rolling lately, and even racking up more strikeouts than he did early in the season. Pineiro's been especially tough at home, and he's also thrived when slick-fielding Brendan Ryan plays shortstop behind him. The Cardinals have won Pineiro's past nine starts. HOU: RHP Roy Oswalt (7-4, 3.83 ERA)
In his most recent start, Oswalt tossed seven innings of shutout ball against the D-backs to earn the victory after going four starts without a decision. He threw 100 pitches and allowed just three hits, but he was taken out in the bottom of the seventh with the Astros clinging to a one-run lead. The right-hander is 0-1 in two starts against the Cardinals this season and has allowed nine earned runs against them, the most he has allowed against any team he has faced more than once this season. In his career, Oswalt is 9-7 with a 3.14 ERA in 27 appearances, including 26 starts, against St. Louis. Tidbits
Smoltz is the ninth former Cy Young Award winner to play under La Russa. Four players, LaMarr Hoyt (1983), Bob Welch ('90), Dennis Eckersley ('92), and Carpenter (2005) all won the award while playing for La Russa. Joe Torre is the only other manager to manage nine Cy Young or former Cy Young Award winners. ... The Cardinals Sept. 20 game vs. the Cubs at Busch Stadium has been selected by ESPN for its Sunday Night Baseball telecast. It will now start at 7:09 p.m. CT. Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio• Gameday
• Official game notes On television
• FS-M HD On radio
• KTRS 550 Up next
• Thursday: Cardinals (Chris Carpenter, 14-3, 2.16) vs. Astros (Brian Moehler, 8-9, 5.29), 1:15 p.m. CT
• Friday: Cardinals (John Smoltz, 3-5, 7.40) vs. Nationals (Craig Stammen, 4-6, 5.08), 7:15 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Cardinals (Mitchell Boggs, 1-2, 4.58) vs. Nationals (TBD), 6:15 p.m. CT
B.J. Rains is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
