• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Injury-riddled Cardinals aim for fourth straight win

Jun 11, 2008 - 1:04 PM St. Louis (39-27) at Cincinnati (31-35), 7:10 pm EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- With their seemingly insurmountable injury problems just getting worse, the St. Louis Cardinals will seek their fourth consecutive victory Wednesday when they face the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cardinals' 7-2 triumph over the Reds on Tuesday did not come without a hefty price. Superstar first baseman Albert Pujols injured his left calf in the contest.

Pujols, who homered earlier in the game, sustained the injury in the seventh inning on a groundout to first. The 2005 National League MVP came up lame out of the batter's box and immediately went down clutching his leg before needing teammates to help him off the field.

He will be evaluated Wednesday and is not expected to be in the lineup.

Ryan Ludwick had four hits and drove in four runs and Rick Ankeil followed Pujols' two-run blast with a solo shot to give the Cardinals their first back-to-back homers of the season.

St. Louis, which currently has 10 pitchers on the disabled list, will send righthander Braden Looper (7-5, 4.86 ERA) to the mound. The 33-year-old Looper gave up five runs - two earned - and eight hits with seven strikeouts over six innings during Friday's 6-1 loss to the Houston Astros.

Cincinnati will counter with rookie Johnny Cueto (5-5, 5.06), who is seeking his fourth win in as many starts. The 22-year-old hard-throwing righthander allowed three runs and eight hits with three walks and eight strikeouts over six frames in Friday's 11-3 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Cueto is 4-1 with a 3.60 ERA in seven home starts this season.