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Cardinals hope to have Pujols back vs. Astros

Jun 6, 2008 - 2:22 PM St. Louis Cardinals (36-26) at Houston (31-30) 8:05 pm. EDT

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The St. Louis Cardinals hope to have slugger Albert Pujols back in the lineup on Friday when they open a three-game series with the Houston Astros.

Pujols, who suffered a strained left calf in Tuesday's win over Washington, missed both games of Thursday's day-night doubleheader. The Cardinals won the first game, 4-1, and rallied from a 7-0 deficit in the second game before falling, 10-9, in 10 innings. Pujols pinch-hit in both games, homering in the first.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa held Pujols out of the lineup the past two days as a precaution, but he may want to insert the feared slugger back into the lineup against the Astros. Pujols is hitting .467 (14-for-30) with five home runs and eight RBI in nine games vs. Houston this season.

St. Louis, which may also be without Rick Ankiel (infected knee), sends Braden Looper (7-4, 5.03 ERA) to the mound. Looper allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 7-4 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Houston, which has lost seven of eight, hands the ball to Brian Moehler (2-2, 4.54). Moehler is 2-2 with a 3.81 ERA in five starts since moving from the bullpen to the rotation.

The Astros are coming off two straight losses at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates, including a 4-3 setback on Thursday. Houston managed just five runs in its last two games, and has failed to score more than three times in any of its last eight contests.