INSIDE PITCH
Lance Lynn is finding the going a little tougher now than earlier in the season in his
first year as a major league starter.
Suffering his fifth setback in 18
decisions, Lynn allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings, which
took him 105 pitches, Tuesday night in a 4-2 loss to San Francisco. Lynn hasn't pitched longer
than six innings in his last four starts although he did have a three-game
winning streak entering the game.
"He had to fight all night," Cardinals
manager Mike Matheny said. "It didn't come easy for him. (He had) a little
trouble putting guys away, and it ended up costing him in the first."
Lynn allowed a three-run homer to San Francisco catcher
Buster Posey in the first inning after giving up singles to the first two
hitters. He settled down after that, although Lynn was helped by excellent defensive plays by
center fielder Jon Jay, right fielder Carlos Beltran, second baseman Skip Schumaker and third baseman David Freese.
"One pitch cost me the game,"
Lynn said. "I
wasn't trying to give him (Posey) anything to hit there. It was just a bad
pitch."
Both teams are 60-50 for the season,
but the Giants are in first place in the National League West, while the
Cardinals are third in the NL Central.
NOTES,
QUOTES
SS Rafael Furcal, who
missed six recent starts out of eight and five in a row because of a lower back
problem, got a hit and a walk in Monday's win over the Giants and had another
hit on Tuesday although he failed twice with runners in scoring position.
Manager Mike Matheny isn't convinced Furcal is all right yet. "He's in kind of a
spot where it's the same," said Matheny. "Doctors are continuing to look at him
and see what other options they have to kind of get him over the hump. He's
moving well defensively, but he can certainly feel it in his swings. It doesn't
seem to be getting worse, either, so they're still trying to figure it
out."
1B Allen Craig, who had
two homers on Tuesday against San Francisco LHP Barry Zito, has three homers in
10 at-bats against Zito for his career. But Craig still is having some
occasional defensive issues in the infield. With San Francisco 1B Brandon Belt caught between
first and second in the sixth, Craig's throw him in the back. It would later
cost the Cardinals a run. "It was a funky play," Craig
said.
C Yadier Molina extended
his hitting streak to 11 games with a single and a double. He is 18 for 46
(.391) during the streak and has raised his season average to
.319.
RF Carlos Beltran, who
took an extra-base hit away in the outfield and then helped throw out a runner
at third base, also moved his hitting streak. A first-inning double by Beltran
gave him a nine-game streak.
LF Matt Holliday's
first-inning single extended his streak to 33 games in which he has reached base
at least once. With all these streaks being extended, you would think the
Cardinals would have done better. But another streak was extended. They are 4-12
in games decided by two runs to go with 12-18 in one-run games. Collectively,
that is 16-30, and that mark does not suggest title
contender.
By the
Numbers:
.538 - SS Rafael Furcal's
batting average in the ninth inning this year. He is hitting .267
overall.
Quote to Note:
"Shots are always an
option."
- Manager Mike Matheny,
noting that SS Rafael Furcal's back appears to still be bothering him. But,
Matheny added, "He doesn't like them."
MEDICAL
WATCH
1B Lance Berkman (sore
right knee) re-injured the surgically repaired joint Aug. 2 and was placed on
the 15-day disabled list Aug. 3.
LHP Jaime Garcia (left
shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 6, and he
was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 16. After further examination, it was
determined that he has tearing in his rotator cuff. He threw 40 pitches from 60
feet on flat ground for the first time in a month July 4. He threw live batting
practice July 25. He began a rehab assignment July 30 in the rookie-level Gulf
Coast League, and he was slated to make three or four starts before a potential
return to the Cardinals in mid-August.
RHP Kyle McClellan (torn
labrum in right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list May 18 due to a
strained right elbow, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 30. He
threw on flat ground for the first time July 3, but he subsequently felt
shoulder pain. He had season-ending shoulder surgery July
10.
RHP Chris Carpenter (weak
right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26, and he
was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 10. He threw for the first time since
March on June 13 and then threw another 40 pitches on June 15. He threw to
hitters for the first time June 22 but then had a setback June 25 when he felt
renewed weakness in the shoulder. He said it felt better the next day, and he
had an extensive throwing session off flat ground June 27. On June 28, he was
told he has thoracic outlet syndrome, which can cause, among its effects,
weakness in one's shoulder. A July 2 bullpen session was canceled. He underwent
season-ending surgery July 19 to relieve thoracic outlet
syndrome.
Link to boxscore: San Francisco 4 at St. Louis 2