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Brewers-Cardinals Preview

Jul 3, 2010 - 6:06 AM By SAMANTHA PANITCH STATS Writer

Milwaukee (36-43) at St. Louis (43-36), 6:35 p.m. EDT

Chris Carpenter has been the St. Louis Cardinals' most consistent pitcher this season. The team hopes a bruise on their ace's throwing arm doesn't change that.

After taking a line drive off his right forearm in his last start, Carpenter looks to shut down a Milwaukee Brewers team that roughed him up earlier this year when he takes the ball for the Cardinals on Saturday.

Against Arizona on Monday, Carpenter (9-1, 2.70 ERA) was hit on the arm in the first inning. He remained in the game and didn't get a decision after allowing three runs and six hits in seven innings of a 6-5 win.

Although he didn't need to come out against the Diamondbacks, the right-hander continued to feel discomfort in the following days. He threw a bullpen session Wednesday and was formally cleared to start Thursday.

Despite the setback, Carpenter isn't concerned with anything affecting his performance against the Brewers (36-44).

"It's a bruise," he told the team's official website. "You get hit with a baseball, it's a bruise, you're going to feel it. But everything felt fine."

Carpenter's recent injury isn't the only one St. Louis has to worry about.

Outfielder Ryan Ludwick aggravated a left calf injury during a treadmill workout Friday and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list. Ludwick was batting .273 with 11 homers and 42 RBIs, and the DL move is retroactive to last Friday.

"He tried to step it up a little bit and he tweaked something," manager Tony La Russa said. "Let's just get him well and see him after the (All-Star) break."

A likely All-Star for the National League, Carpenter must find a way to stifle a Brewers' lineup that leads the NL with 99 home runs.

Carpenter has been susceptible to the long ball this season, allowing 13 homers after yielding seven all of last year. At Miller Park on April 11, Carpenter served up three homers, along with a season-worst seven runs in five innings of an 8-7 loss, but didn't receive a decision.

Milwaukee's offense never got on track against rookie Jamie Garcia on Friday, managing five hits in a 5-0 loss.

Corey Hart had two of those hits, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. Hart - second in the NL with 18 home runs - is batting .366 during his run, but with only one homer.

As Garcia held the Brewers in check, Matt Holiday led St. Louis' offense with two doubles and an RBI.

Holiday, batting .344 with two homers and five RBIs in eight games against the Brewers this season, is 4 for 7 against scheduled starter Manny Parra (2-5, 4.12).

Parra, 1-2 with a 4.37 in seven starts, gave up four runs and walked four in five innings in Monday's 9-5 loss to Houston, but didn't receive a decision. Parra threw two wild pitches after throwing four in his previous outing, but isn't worried about his recent control problems.

"Throw your pitches down in the zone, you're going to bounce some," said Parra, who is second in the NL with 11 wild pitches. "If they go through the catcher, that's something you've just got to keep working on."

Parra will try and help the Brewers avoid losing consecutive games since a three-game losing streak from June 16-19.