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Cardinals-Indians Preview

Jun 13, 2009 - 4:53 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

St. Louis (33-28) at Cleveland (27-35), 4:10 p.m. EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals' lineup was clicking when it arrived in Cleveland, but couldn't get much going in the series opener.

They hope to get back on track Saturday against the Indians' Tomo Ohka, who is scheduled to make his first major league start in more than two years.

After combining for 19 runs in winning its previous two games against Florida, St. Louis (33-29) left seven runners on base in a 7-3 loss Friday. Albert Pujols hit his 20th homer but the Cardinals' other seven hits were singles.

"I felt like we could have scored more runs, but we didn't," Ryan Ludwick told the Cardinals' official Web site. "The end result's a loss. But as a whole, I think yes, the team is definitely swinging the bat better than we were. We had opportunities to score more runs, but we didn't."

Pujols, the all-time leader in interleague batting average (.351), finished with two hits Friday and appears to be heating up. The reigning NL MVP is 4 for 12 with two home runs, two walks, four RBIs and four runs in his last three games after going 0 for 14 with one walk and two RBIs in his previous four.

Pujols is 7 for 14 with a homer and three doubles lifetime against Ohka (0-0, 5.40 ERA), although the two haven't squared off since 2006 when the right-hander was with Milwaukee.

Ohka is taking over for Fausto Carmona, who was sent to the Arizona Rookie League after going 2-6 with a 7.42 ERA in his first 12 starts. He was recalled from Triple-A Columbus on May 28 and has allowed six runs and 11 hits in 10 innings over two outings.

Ohka spent all of last season with the Chicago White Sox's Triple-A affiliate and hasn't started since June 6, 2007 for Toronto. He's 3-3 with a 5.64 ERA in six career starts versus the Cardinals.

The Indians are 11-4 all-time versus St. Louis and 5-1 at Progressive Field.

Shin-Soo Choo drove in three runs for Cleveland on Friday, a day after his winning hit glanced off a gull in the outfield. The Indians, who trail AL Central-leading Detroit by seven games, have won four of five after losing six of nine.

"Guys are playing with more confidence," manager Eric Wedge told the Indians' official Web site. "Our young players are getting more comfortable and proving they belong up here."

Cleveland (28-35), which looks to win three in a row for the first time since a season-high four-game run from May 25-28, will face Brad Thompson (0-2, 4.50).

After starting the season in the bullpen, Thompson is taking over in the rotation for the injured Kyle Lohse (right forearm strain).

In his second start this year, Thompson allowed three runs and five hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 5-2 loss to Colorado on Monday.

Thompson threw two innings of relief against the Indians in 2006, but this will be the right-hander's first start against them. He's 1-3 with a 6.55 ERA in four career interleague starts.