Padres 0 - 2 Cardinals
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  for this game

Padres eye historic sweep in St. Louis

Apr 3, 2011 - 2:54 PM

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(Sports Network) - The San Diego Padres will try to do something they haven't done since their first year of existence, as they try and complete a three-game season-opening sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals this afternoon at Busch Stadium.

The Padres haven't swept the Cards in a three-game set in St. Louis since 1980, but haven't opened a campaign with a three-game sweep since turning the trick on the Houston Astros from April 8-10, 1969 - the club's inaugural season.

San Diego actually started their NL championship season of 1984 with a sweep, but it was a two-gamer against Pittsburgh.

The Padres moved into this position on Saturday, as Chase Headley finished 2- for-5 with four RBI, including a two-run homer in the ninth, helping San Diego to an 11-3 win.

Nick Hundley added two RBI in a 2-for-4 effort while starter Clayton Richard (1-0) went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out three.

Allen Craig hit a two-run single in the first for the Cardinals, and Albert Pujols shrugged off an 0-for-5 effort in the season-opener by finishing 2- for-4 with a solo shot in the third inning.

Jake Westbrook (0-1), who was trying to rebound from a rough spring, was tagged for eight runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked five batters and struck out only three in the loss.

"(Westbrook) made some great pitches all day, then all of a sudden he made some uncharacteristic walks and he just missed the zone by quite a bit," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "That's not him when he's sharp."

Today, the Padres will turn to newly-acquired right-hander Dustin Moseley, who was 4-4 with a 4.96 ERA for the New York Yankees in 16 appearances (nine starts).

This will be his first-ever start against the Cards, but he has faced them twice out of the bullpen, allowing a run and three hits in 1 2/3 frames.

St. Louis, meanwhile, will counter with left-hander Jaime Garcia, who was impressive as a rookie last season, leading all Cardinals starters with a 2.70, while going 13-8.

Garcia, who finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting, pitched to a 6.26 ERA this spring.

St. Louis was 4-3 against the Padres last season.






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