St. Louis (45-34) at Detroit (37-40)

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stl

Cards eagerly await return of Pujols

Matthew Leach / MLB.com
Albert Pujols was expected to be on the shelf for three weeks with a left calf strain, but remarkably, Pujols may return on Thursday after 15 days on the DL.
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Cardinals probable pitcher

Todd Wellemeyer

  • #37 RHP
  • (7-2) 3.67 ERA
Cardinals: This one is written in pencil, rather than ink, but it appears that Wellemeyer will get the start in the series finale in Detroit. He had been absolutely exceptional until coming down with some elbow soreness, and the injury resulted in an extremely rocky last start. A fairly intensive bullpen session told Wellemeyer that he's coming along well, though, and he expects to get the ball. If he's not ready, the assignment would probably fall to rookie Mitchell Boggs.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 16-12 4.65 325.1 179 271 .249
Season 7-2 3.67 83.1 28 65 .234
June 1-1 7.71 9.1 4 8 .317

Series at a Glance

Standings - 06/26/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
St. Louis Cardinals (NL Central) 45 34 .570 4.5 23-17 22-17
Detroit Tigers (AL Central) 37 40 .481 4.5 21-17 16-23
Stats - 06/26/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
STL .272 370 80 352 32 469 4.08 711.2 723 242 447
DET .269 372 84 356 28 471 4.60 679.0 685 308 415
det

Sardinha may be behind plate in finale

Scott McNeish / MLB.com
Dane Sardinha will like earn his first nod as a starting catcher for the Tigers on Thursday as he looks to give Ivan Rodriguez a break in the finale.
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Tigers probable pitcher

Nate Robertson

  • #29 LHP
  • (6-6) 5.60 ERA
Tigers: The Tigers maneuvered their rotation for their homestand so that Robertson could start on his normal rest. The way he's been winning, it's hard to blame them. Robertson has won his last three starts, tying a career-best winning streak he set in 2004, his first full Major League season. The latest came Saturday at San Diego, where he gave up five runs on seven hits over six innings but somehow avoided further damage to let his offense pick him up for the victory. He's 6-3 for his career in Interleague Play, including one victory over the Cardinals last year at Comerica Park.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 48-61 4.70 922.2 314 630 .276
Season 6-6 5.60 90.0 26 61 .296
June 3-1 4.74 24.2 7 17 .284

Cardinals hitters vs Nate Robertson

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Bryan - - - - - - - -
Craig, Allen - - - - - - - -
Freese, David - - - - - - - -
Greene, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Hamilton, Mark - - - - - - - -
Jay, Jon - - - - - - - -
Jones, Daryl - - - - - - - -
Ludwick, Ryan - - - - .200 10 0 0
Lugo, Julio .333 6 0 0 .429 14 1 1
Mather, Joe - - - - - - - -
Molina, Yadier - - - - .667 3 0 2
Pagnozzi, Matt - - - - - - - -
Pujols, Albert - - - - 1.000 4 0 0
Rasmus, Colby - - - - - - - -
Robinson, Shane - - - - - - - -
Ryan, Brendan - - - - .500 2 0 0
Schumaker, Skip - - - - - - - -
Stavinoha, Nick - - - - - - - -

Tigers hitters vs Todd Wellemeyer

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Avila, Alex - - - - - - - -
Boesch, Brennan - - - - - - - -
Cabrera, Miguel - - - - .000 2 0 0
Ciriaco, Audy - - - - - - - -
Dlugach, Brent - - - - - - - -
Granderson, Curtis - - - - .375 8 0 1
Guillen, Carlos - - - - .000 7 0 0
Inge, Brandon - - - - .286 7 1 2
Kelly, Don - - - - - - - -
Laird, Gerald - - - - .000 1 0 0
Larish, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Ordonez, Magglio - - - - .200 10 0 1
Raburn, Ryan - - - - - - - -
Ramirez, Wilkin - - - - - - - -
Ryan, Dusty - - - - - - - -
Santiago, Ramon - - - - .500 2 0 0
Sizemore, Scott - - - - - - - -
Strieby, Ryan - - - - - - - -
Thomas, Clete - - - - .500 2 0 0
Wells, Casper - - - - - - - -

Patience proves the best virtue (45-35) (38-40)

Tigers 3, Cardinals 2 (10)

Walk woes curb Cards

Matthew Leach / MLB.com
Todd Wellemeyer tossed five scoreless innings, but neither club scored a run until the sixth when Ron Villone allowed a bases-loaded walk. Albert Pujols came off the DL to go 4-for-4, but the Cards allowed another bases-loaded walk in the 10th.

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Series at a Glance

 

Back-to-back walkoffs

Jason Beck / MLB.com
Nate Robertson allowed a lone run, but the game was deadlocked at 1 until the ninth when both teams scored to send it to extras. In the 10th, Clete Thomas walked with the bases loaded to give the Tigers their second straight walk-off win.
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Tigers Wrap >

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Tigers 3, Cardinals 2

St. LouisABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Barton, LF4010004.256
  a-Schumaker, PH-LF1110000.305
Miles, 3B5030001.318
Pujols, DH4041100.358
  1-Stavinoha, PR-DH0000000.267
Glaus, 1B5010027.257
Ludwick, RF5000027.286
Ankiel, CF5010010.255
LaRue, C4010101.229
Kennedy, 2B5010022.267
Ryan, SS3110111.295
Totals4121413823 

a-Singled for Barton in the 9th.
1-Ran for Pujols in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: LaRue (3, Robertson), Miles (7, Robertson).
TB: Barton; Schumaker; Miles 4; Pujols 4; Glaus; Ankiel; LaRue 2; Kennedy; Ryan.
RBI: Pujols (43).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ludwick 3; Ryan.
GIDP: Miles; Barton; Glaus.
Team LOB: 12.

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Ludwick (Hollimon, M at 3rd base).
DP: (Miles-Kennedy-Glaus).
 
DetroitABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Granderson, CF5240000.282
Polanco, 2B3010012.316
  Raburn, 2B1000010.205
Guillen, 3B3000212.302
Ordonez, RF5020004.306
Cabrera, M, 1B4000125.273
Thomas, LF3012210.297
Sheffield, DH4111014.235
Hollimon, M, SS4020010.167
Sardinha, C4000011.000
Totals3631135918 

BATTING
2B: Granderson (10, Wellemeyer), Polanco (17, Wellemeyer), Hollimon, M (1, Franklin).
HR: Sheffield (5, 9th inning off Franklin, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Granderson 5; Polanco 2; Ordonez 2; Thomas; Sheffield 4; Hollimon, M 3.
RBI: Thomas 2 (7), Sheffield (16).
2-out RBI: Thomas 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ordonez; Sheffield 2.
S: Raburn.
GIDP: Sheffield.
Team LOB: 10.

BASERUNNING
CS: Granderson (4, 2nd base by Isringhausen/LaRue).

FIELDING
E: Raburn (6, throw).
DP: 3 (Hollimon, M-Polanco-Cabrera, M, Hollimon, M-Raburn-Cabrera, M, Polanco-Cabrera, M).
 
St. LouisIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Wellemeyer 5.04000303.46
Villone 0.22112205.83
Isringhausen 2.12000205.74
Franklin (BS, 4)1.02110212.95
Parisi (L, 0-4)0.21113008.22
 
DetroitIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Robertson 6.111102505.23
Rodney 1.200001015.00
Jones, T 1.03110103.86
Seay (W, 1-1)1.00001103.42

WP: Wellemeyer.
IBB: Guillen (by Parisi), Cabrera, M (by Parisi), Pujols (by Robertson).
Pitches-strikes: Wellemeyer 76-50, Villone 26-14, Isringhausen 27-20, Franklin 20-14, Parisi 22-8, Robertson 92-57, Rodney 15-11, Jones, T 21-13, Seay 13-6.
Groundouts-flyouts: Wellemeyer 7-5, Villone 0-0, Isringhausen 1-3, Franklin 0-0, Parisi 1-1, Robertson 11-3, Rodney 1-3, Jones, T 2-0, Seay 1-1.
Batters faced: Wellemeyer 18, Villone 6, Isringhausen 8, Franklin 4, Parisi 6, Robertson 30, Rodney 5, Jones, T 5, Seay 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Isringhausen 3-0, Rodney 2-0.
EjectionsDetroit Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco ejected by HP umpire Paul Schrieber. (6th).
Umpires: HP: Paul Schrieber. 1B: Kerwin Danley. 2B: Laz Diaz. 3B: Wally Bell.
Weather: 82 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 8 mph, Out to LF.
T: 3:29.
Att: 41,022.
June 26, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner