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Cardinals aim for series win over Giants

Apr 20, 2008 - 2:43 PM San Francisco (7-11) at St. Louis (12-6) 2:15 pm EDT

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - With Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder each recovering from serious arm and shoulder injuries, respectively, Braden Looper has certainly stepped to the plate in 2008.

Looper will go for his fourth win in as many chances on Sunday when the St. Louis Cardinals look to take the finale of a three-game set.

Carpenter, the former staff ace, is due back around the All-Star break after undergoing elbow surgery, while Mulder made his first rehab start in the minors on Tuesday. St. Louis has yet to set a timetable for when he will join the team after undergoing rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder last season.

In their absence, Looper (3-0, 2.70 ERA) has capably filled the void, winning each of his first three starts this season. However, he managed to dodge trouble in his last start on Tuesday, surrendering five walks and three hits - but just one run - over five innings in a 6-1 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The righthander will try to pick up his next win against the Giants, who claimed the middle game of the series on Saturday with a 3-0 win. Tim Lincecum pitched seven strong frames while Aaron Rowand hit a solo home run to end San Francisco's three-game losing streak.

In the finale, the Giants will turn to Jonathan Sanchez (0-1, 6.00), who has recorded two games of at least eight strikeouts but does not have a victory to show for it.

The lefthander's last start was his lone exception as he struck out just three over five innings but did not factor into the decision despite allowing four runs - three earned - and six hits in a 5-4 loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.