• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Wellemeyer shuts down Nationals

Jun 5, 2008 - 10:06 PM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Todd Wellemeyer began the month of June the way he left off in May.

Wellemeyer tossed six scoreless innings Thursday for his fifth straight victory as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Washington Nationals, 4-1, in the first game of a doubleheader.

The National League Pitcher of the Month for May, Wellemeyer (7-1) scattered five hits with a walk and five strikeouts. He was 4-0 with a 2.19 ERA in six May starts.

"I'm really not trying to think too much about (my success)," Wellemeyer said. "Just keep doing what I'm doing and not get ahead of myself. Every start is different."

Wellemeyer needed to pitch well because the Cardinals could not do much against Nationals starter John Lannan (4-6). The only mistake he made resulted in Troy Glaus' two-run home run in the fourth inning.

Wellemeyer entered the year with only nine career wins, but Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is not surprised by the success of the career journeyman who is with his fourth major league organization.

"He is a complete pitcher," La Russa said. "He throws fastballs on both sides of the plate, up and down. He has four pitches. He's very strong and tough to run on."

Wellemeyer made the slim lead hold up, working around a single to Elijah Dukes in the fifth and a walk to Kory Castro in the sixth.

"Most of our hits and walks came with two outs," Washington manager Manny Acta said. "We couldn't get anything going with two outs, especially with runners in scoring position."

The Cardinals finally added some insurance in the seventh against Nationals reliever Joel Hanranhan.

St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols, who is nursing a sore calf, did not start Thursday's game. But he came off the bench to hit a solo shot in the seventh, his first career homer as a pinch hitter. The Cardinals made it 4-0 later in the frame on Joe Mather's RBI double.

"I wanted to be ready in case Tony needed me, so I took BP early, did my routine and got loose," Pujols said. "I think that helped to get myself ready. I feel better, but I understand (La Russa) does not want to push it."

After holding the Cardinals hitless over the first three innings, Lannan allowed a leadoff single in the fourth to Ryan Ludwick, who stole second and scored on Glaus' fifth homer of the season.

"It's nice to hit (homers), no doubt about it," Glaus said. "But as I've said a hundred times before, scoring runs and driving in runs is my role on this team."

Lannan surrendered two runs and four hits in six innings before giving way to Hanrahan.

"I had to battle," Lannas said. "I really didn't have my command. It was hot. I was a little thrown off with the rain delay last night."

The Nationals scored their only run on Felipe Lopez's RBI single off Randy Flores in the eighth. Washington has managed only eight runs in Lannan's last four starts.

"The hits are going to come," he said of the lack of support. "You just have to keep going. You can't think about it too much."

Ryan Franklin tossed a perfect ninth for his seventh save.