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Pujols, Cardinals aim to close out season on high note

Sep 28, 2008 - 7:36 AM Cincinnati (74-87) at St. Louis (85-76) 2:15 pm. EDT

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Albert Pujols' pursuit of a batting title will fall short, but he gets one last chance to make his case for National League MVP on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.

Pujols has drawn a ton of MVP consideration. The 28-year-old slugger is hitting .356 with 37 home runs and 115 RBI and almost singlehandedly kept the Cardinals in postseason contention for most of the season.

He homered in Saturday's 8-5 victory to become the only player in major league history with 30 homers and 100 RBIs in each of his first eight seasons.

Pujols is a big reason the Cardinals are looking to close out the season with a sixth straight win. Still, he is well behind Atlanta's Chipper Jones (.365) in the race for the batting title.

Pujols can still win one award, though, and he will make his final MVP push against Adam Pettyjohn (0-0, 4.50 ERA). Pettyjohn is making a spot start in place of ace Edinson Volquez. Volquez was scratched due to tendinitis in his left knee.

Pettyjohn went 15-6 with a 4.59 ERA this season in Class AAA Louisville before being called up on September 9. St. Louis, which will miss the postseason for a second straight year, counters with Kyle Lohse (15-6, 3.78).

Lohse won his second straight start on Tuesday by limiting the Arizona Diamondbacks to three runs and seven hits in a 7-4 win.