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Rockies-Cardinals Preview

Jun 5, 2009 - 5:59 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Colorado (20-32) at St. Louis (30-23), 8:15 p.m. EDT

Though Albert Pujols is always a tough out, it's been particularly difficult to keep him off the bases lately.

Pujols looks to reach base at least twice in a 16th straight game Friday night when the St. Louis Cardinals open a four-game series against the last-place Colorado Rockies.

The reigning NL MVP is 13 for 25 (.520) with five doubles, three homers and eight RBIs over the last seven games, getting at least one hit in all of them. A four-game span before that streak saw Pujols go hitless three times, but he walked at least twice in each.

He's reached base multiple times in 15 consecutive games. The only other St. Louis player to have such a streak last that long in the past 50 years is Keith Hernandez in 1980.

The recent tear has moved Pujols among the league leaders in batting average (.346), homers (17) and RBIs (48), while topping baseball with 43 walks.

The All-Star first baseman had a two-run homer and an RBI double Thursday night as Chris Carpenter threw a three-hitter in a 3-1 win over Cincinnati, helping St. Louis (31-23) move into a tie with Milwaukee atop the NL Central.

"You have to challenge him, and you win some and lose some with him," Reds starter Aaron Harang told his team's official Web site. "He's going to get his hits off you."

Pujols has beaten up on the Rockies (21-32). He owns a .346 average with 17 homers and 47 RBIs in 54 career games against them, including .395 with eight homers in 25 home games while reaching base in each.

Adam Wainwright (5-3, 3.38 ERA) looks to continue his own success against Colorado in an effort to rebound from a subpar outing.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 0.52 ERA in six games - two starts - against the Rockies.

He wasn't nearly that effective at San Francisco on Sunday, getting reached for four runs and 10 hits in seven innings of a 5-3 loss after winning his previous two starts with a 1.15 ERA.

"I didn't feel out of whack out there," Wainwright told the Cardinals' official Web site. "For whatever reason I was leaving a lot of balls over the plate, thigh-high pitches, and they made a lot of good swings today."

The Cardinals went 4-3 against the Rockies last year but have won nine of the last 11 meetings at Busch Stadium.

Colorado is looking to win consecutive games after avoiding a four-game sweep against Houston by winning 10-3 on Thursday.

The Rockies will give the ball to Jorge De La Rosa (0-6, 5.43), who is looking to avoid a career-high seventh straight loss.

The left-hander dropped six decisions in a row with Kansas City from May 24-June 22, 2007, and he matched that mark Sunday, allowing four runs and six hits in five innings of a 5-2 loss to San Diego.

It was an improvement from his two previous starts, both losses where he failed to get out of the fourth inning.

"He's still learning. He's in that process," Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba said. "Obviously, he's going to learn from his mistakes. Hopefully, his next outing will be better and hopefully he won't have those mistakes. But he's only going to get better. He won't get worse, I guarantee you that."

De La Rosa, who was 10-8 with a 4.92 ERA last year, is 2-2 with a 6.20 ERA in 10 games - four starts - against the Cardinals. However, he won his last start against them on May 8, 2008, giving up two runs and striking out five in 5 2-3 innings of a 9-3 victory.