*Talkin' Baseball with Mary on Friday, July 24

BASEBALL WEBSITE BY - MARY CLAUSEN


WAINWRIGHT PITCHED
FIRST COMPLETE GAME
6 INNINGS
photo from: www.waiversharks.com

Our Cardinals had some good luck Thursday night.  Wherever it came from - the rain or the 'stash - they were able to get the 4-2 win against the Washington Nationals in their make-up game from the 5/3 rain out.

Adam Wainwright pitched his first complete game of the season (the six innings necessary) and got his 11th win. The crew chief called the game at 11:40 p.m. ET when dirt from the field turned into an inch of soppy rain as he dumped it onto the field. First there was a rain delay of one hour and 16 minutes in the fourth inning and then another one in the sixth that made it a total of two hours 46 minutes in rain delays.

Wainwright was outstanding.  His curve ball  looked great as he was able to strikeout seven Nats in the game.  Even though Albert Pujols had the night off to rest up for the upcoming Phillies series, the offense was still busy.  Rick Ankiel hit a home run in the third and Schumaker, DeRosa, Molina and Thurston all helped with nice hits during the off and on game.

Some say Wainwright's mustache was help too. Whatever it was, he pitched a beauty dropping his ERA to 1.57.  He said after the game, "I know it's not the mustache that makes us play better, but sometimes team morale needs to get flopped over and the mustache has seemed to work."

We are in now Philadelphia for a three-game series.  The Phillies are in first place in their division by 6.5 games and we are now 1.5 ahead of Chicago and Houston who are tied for second place place in ours. Pineiro (8-9) is on the mound for us and a strong lefty, Happ  (7-0), is pitching for the Phillies.  Let's do it Cards!


BYE BYE CHRIS
photo from: www.igleaguescrews.com

BOSTON RED SOX - 7/23/09 - ADAM LA ROCHE/VICTOR LOGO
First baseman, Adam Loroche was traded to the Boston Red Sox for a couple of prospects.  In another trade on Wednesday afternoon Red Sox shortstop Victor Lugo was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for first baseman Chris Duncan. Yea! Sorry Chris & Dave.
Hey Tony, do you will think St. Louis will miss their "whipping boy."

CHICAGO CUBS - 7/23/09 - PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
The Chicago Cubs broke a ten-game winning streak for the  Phillies Wednesday.  They lost to the Cubs 10-5. It was the longest winning streak of a World Series' Champion since the Baltimore Orioles in 1971.