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Pujols, Cardinals invade San Diego

May 23, 2011 - 2:36 PM (Sports Network) - It's been almost a month and a career-high 103 at-bats since St. Louis Cardinals superstar first baseman Albert Pujols has homered.

Pujols looks to end that drought soon, starting with Monday's opener of a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Pujols has homered six times in his career at spacious Petco Park and went 2-for-6 with a run scored in Sunday's 9-8 win in 10 innings at Kansas City. Tyler Greene scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th when Colby Rasmus walked with the bases loaded and Pujols came across the plate when Yadier Molina drew a base on balls against Royals reliever Tim Collins.

Rasmus walked a career-high five times on the day, matching the club's first five-walk performance since Reggie Smith did it on Sept. 13, 1974. Molina had a big day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBI, while Allen Craig added two hits and two runs batted in for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, who have won two straight and six of seven games.

"A win is a win, no matter how it happens," said Molina. "Whatever it is, we'll take it."

The Cardinals, who lead the division by 2 1/2 games over Cincinnati, used seven different pitchers on Sunday. Starter Jaime Garcia did not record a decision and allowed three runs through five innings. Jason Motte later earned the win with a scoreless ninth and Fernando Salas posted his seventh save despite allowing a run in the bottom of the 10th.

Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday left the game on Sunday with tightness in his left quadriceps, an injury he sustained last week. He is expected to miss tonight's game and Gerald Laird, who pinch ran for Holliday in the fifth inning, is expected to land on the disabled list with a broken bone in his right index finger when he was hit by a pitch. Lance Berkman returned to the St. Louis lineup on Sunday after missing three games due to a sprained right wrist and went 0-for-4 with two walks and a strikeout.

St. Louis will also visit Colorado for three games on the trek and is scheduled to send Kyle Lohse to the mound Monday in San Diego. Lohse is an impressive 5-2 in nine starts this season and defeated Houston the last time out in a 5-1 victory on Wednesday, allowing one run in eight innings. He lowered his ERA to 2.17 and aims to stay unbeaten on the road tonight, going 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA in four starts away from the Gateway City.

Lohse, a right-hander, is only 2-3 in seven career starts against the Padres.

San Diego, meanwhile, was just swept in three games over the weekend by the Seattle Mariners and has lost five of six games. In Sunday's 6-1 setback to the Mariners, reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Felix Hernandez struck out 13 Padres over eight innings, while Tim Stauffer was dealt the loss for permitting three runs and 10 hits in six innings of work.

"Any time you are facing a guy like that today runs are going to be few," said Stauffer. "I knew I had to be at my best today and I wasn't."

Chris Denorfia drove in the club's only run in the bottom of the seventh inning and was one of six different players with a hit.

The Padres are last in the NL West standings and 1-4 on an eight-game homestand. They will hand the ball to Dustin Moseley this evening and he's just 1-6 with a 3.40 ERA in nine starts. He has dropped three starts in a row and previously took the mound in Wednesday's 5-2 loss versus Milwaukee, as he allowed three runs -- two earned -- over 5 1/3 frames.

Moseley lost to St. Louis on April 3 despite throwing seven innings of one-run ball in a 2-0 loss. The righty is 0-1 in three career games (1 start) against the Cardinals.

San Diego won two of three contests at Busch Stadium from March 31-April 3.