Rockies 1 - 6 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Cardinals, Lohse begin set with Rockies

Aug 12, 2011 - 3:05 PM

Video

(Sports Network) - Right-hander Kyle Lohse can get to double-digit wins for the first time since 2008 tonight when the St. Louis Cardinals open a three- game home series with the Colorado Rockies at Busch Stadium.

Lohse, a 32-year-old, won 13 and 14 games for the Minnesota Twins in 2002 and 2003, respectively, then stayed in single digits until going 15-6 with St. Louis.

He slumped to 6-10 in 2009 and was 4-8 last season, but improved to 9-7 in 2011 with a 13-5 win over the Chicago Cubs on July 30 after allowing two hits and no earned runs in five innings.

The win was the 97th of his big-league career.

He is 2-3 in eight career starts against Colorado.

The Cardinals enter the series in second place in the National League's Central Division, where they trail Milwaukee by four games after salvaging the finale of a three-game series with the Brewers Thursday.

Chris Carpenter pitched eight strong innings and Albert Pujols went 4-for-4 with a homer and two RBI as the Cardinals beat the Brewers, 5-2.

Rafael Furcal and Pujols both went deep in the first inning after the Brewers were spotted a 2-0 lead.

Lance Berkman singled in Jon Jay with the go-ahead run in the third.

Carpenter (8-8) gave up 10 hits and won for the seventh time in his last eight decisions. It was a big turnaround for the right-hander, who was 0-2 with an 8.18 ERA in two previous starts against the Brewers this season.

Fernando Salas fanned two batters in the ninth inning to notch his 22nd save.

The Rockies dropped a tough-luck 2-1 decision in Cincinnati to end with a split of their four-game set with the Reds.

Jhoulys Chacin (9-9) pitched all eight innings for the Rockies, striking out nine while giving up six hits and three walks, but took the loss after Colorado's lineup failed to come through in several key situations.

Right-hander Aaron Cooks makes his 12th start of the season and faces the Cardinals for the 11th time in his career.

The 31-year-old Kentucky native hasn't won since a 3-1 triumph in Los Angeles on July 27, dropping one decision in two subsequent starts while allowing nine hits and six runs in 10 2/3 innings.

He's won one of five decisions against St. Louis while logging a 5.43 earned run average across 54 2/3 innings.

Cook is 2-2 in five road starts in 2011 with a 5.83 ERA.

The Cardinals won two of three in Colorado in late May, giving them a victory in six of the past seven meetings.






Related News