Wainwright Looks to Dazzle, Clinch
Saturday night could be the clinching game for the Cardinals to finally take hold of the NL Central division title. Although, it’s been said for the last few nights, the Cardinals have yet another Cy Young candidate on the mound tonight, Adam Wainwright. Last night Chris Carpenter tried to pitch the team to victory, with an excellent 7-inning effort and only one earned run.
Wainwright has been speaking out a lot with the recognition he’s been getting from the media and has credited his success to his teammates, who he called “my mentors”. Carpenter has shared his vast knowledge on pitching with the young right-hander and John Smoltz has joined the mix as well. Two former Cy Young winners teaching you how to pitch in the Bigs…not too shabby.
Runs have been somewhat hard to come by the last two games for the Birds, scoring only two runs last night and being shutout by rookie, Bud Norris, in Houston for the finale. Albert Pujols is still hitting well, but hasn’t rounded the bases since Sept. 11, Ryan Ludwick has scuffled a little bit but his homer last night was his first since Sept. 4. Without two of your three best mashers in the lineup not hitting the longball, runs will be somewhat hard to score.
Going for win 19 on the season, Wainwright will oppose young hurler, Ubaldo Jimenez, of the Rockies at Coors Field tonight. Two very young, talented pitchers that both might have a Cy Young award by the time they’re 30 years-old will make for a very interesting duel tonight. Although, the thin air of Colorado might diminish the effectiveness of Wainwright’s 12-6 bender. At Coors, Wainwright has made one start, where he only gave up four hits, and no earned runs.
Former Rockie, Matt Holliday, has 84 career bombs and 307 RBIs in Colorado, his old stomping ground. His experience in Colorado might help the Redbirds win for the title, but for Wainwright as well.
With another righty on the mound, look for lineup to consist of the same makeup it did last night.
1. Schumaker 2b
2. Ryan SS
3. Pujols 1b
4. Holliday LF
5. Rasmus CF
6. Ludwick RF
7. DeRosa 3b
8. Molina C
9. Wainwright P
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