Tyler Greene's Very Good Day And The St. Louis Cardinals 2B Plans

Cardinals Vs. Astros Score Update: St. Louis Avoids Sweep With 8-1 Win

After dropping the first two games of their series against the Houston Astros, the St. Louis Cardinals came out Sunday afternoon and jumped out to an early lead in their 8-1 win. The Cardinals scored six runs in the first four innings and used a strong outing from Adam Wainwright to avoid the sweep.

Allen Craig and Tyler Greene provided all the offense St. Louis would need, as the two combined to drive in seven runs. Greene hit 3/3 with two home runs and four RBI's, while Craig hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give St. Louis an early lead it wouldn't relinquish.

Wainwright was simply outstanding, allowing only one earned run in 7 innings on the mound. Wainwright struck out seven batters and improved his record to 2-3 with the win.

For more on the St. Louis Cardinals, head over to Viva El Birdos, SB Nation's Cards blog. Astros news and analysis is available at Crawfish Boxes. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more breaking news and updates concerning all matters St. Louis sports, and MLB Daily Dish for all your MLB rumors and news.

Cardinals Vs. Astros Score Update: St. Louis Leads 6-1 After 4 Innings

The St. Louis Cardinals are leading 6-1 through four innings against the Houston Astros on Sunday afternoon thanks to a pair of offensive explosions from Allen Craig and Tyler Greene. Those two have combined to contribute all six of the team's RBI today while Adam Wainwright looks right at home on the mound.

Craig and Greene have been impressive so far on Sunday, putting up identical lines through two plate appearances apiece: 2-for-2 with a double, a homer, one run scored and 3 RBI. With those two doing most of the damage, the Cardinals have scored at least one run in each of the first four innings.

Wainwright has been nearly as impressive on the mound, pitching three shutout innings until he gave up a run on a wild pitch in the fourth frame. Overall, he's given up just one run on three hits, and he's struck out seven hitters already while walking just one.

For more on the St. Louis Cardinals, head over to Viva El Birdos, SB Nation's Cards blog. Astros news and analysis is available at Crawfish Boxes. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more breaking news and updates concerning all matters St. Louis sports, and MLB Daily Dish for all your MLB rumors and news.

Cardinals Vs. Astros Line Ups: Craig In Clean Up Spot For Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny is looking to jump start his team today, as they look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros. Matheny is not averse to shuffling his line up around, and today the recently returned Allen Craig will bat fourth.

Cardinals Vs. Astros Preview: St. Louis Looks To Avoid Sweep

This weekend's reminder that baseball is a funny and fickle game: one of the hottest teams in baseball is on the verge of being swept by the team widely considered to be the worst in the game. The former, of course, is the St. Louis Cardinals, who arrived in Houston with one of the best records in the National League but are another poor Adam Wainwright start away from leaving the series empty handed.

Wainwright's return from Tommy John surgery has been a bumpy one so far this year, as he's posted a 6.75 ERA in five starts, with only one quality start on the year. In his last start, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Wainwright gave up four earned runs and five hits in seven innings. For Wainwright, the problem has been hits, and especially homers: he's struck out 27 batters in 26.2 innings, but has also relinquished 29 hits and seven homers. The latter mark is tied for the worst number in the National League.

The Astros will trot out soft tossing lefty J.A. Happ, who has historically had a tough time against the Cardinals. In four starts vs. St. Louis last season, Happ posted an ERA of 7.29, striking out 19 in 21 innings but walking 10. Happ also gave up four homers in those starts.

Game date/time: Sunday, May 6, 1:05 p.m. CT

Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Tex.

TV: Fox Sports Midwest

For more on the St. Louis Cardinals, head over to Viva El Birdos, SB Nation's Cards blog. Astros news and analysis is available at Crawfish Boxes. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more breaking news and updates concerning all matters St. Louis sports, and MLB Daily Dish for all your MLB rumors and news.

Cardinals Vs. Astros Final Score: Jaime Garcia Struggles As St. Louis Loses 8-2

The St. Louis Cardinals (16-11) could not overcome a rough outing from SP Jaime Garcia as the Cards lost 8-2 to the Houston Astros (13-14).

Garcia (L, 2-2) lasted 6.0 innings, but could not keep the Astros off the base paths as he allowed 4 walks and 4 hits -- including a grand slam to 3B Chris Johnson -- to go with only 3 strikeouts. The Cardinals offense, meanwhile, offered equally lackluster support.

SP Bud Norris (W, 2-1) took the win as the Cardinals managed to coax 4 walks from the righty, but only 3 singles. On the night, the Cardinals has 6 hits, but failed to land an extra base hit. LF Matt Holliday and SS Rafael Furcal each added steals, and RBI singles from RF Carlos Beltran and Holliday gave the Cardinals a presence on the scoreboard, but Johnson's slam and the Astro bullpen proved too much for the Cardinals.

St. Louis concludes their three-game set against the Astros on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. CDT.

For more on the St. Louis Cardinals, head over to Viva El Birdos, SB Nation's Cards blog. Astros news and analysis is available at Crawfish Boxes. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more breaking news and updates concerning all matters St. Louis sports, and MLB Daily Dish for all your MLB rumors and news.

Cardinals Vs. Astros Preview: St. Louis Tries To Bounce Back On Saturday Night

The St. Louis Cardinals dropped the first of their three-game set against the Houston Astros on Friday night, but they get a chance on Saturday to even the series and to prevent the Houston Astros from setting a six-game winning streak at home. Houston hasn't won six straight contests at home since August of 2010, so it will be up to Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia (2-1, 2.78 ERA) to keep the Astros away from hitting that mark again. He will be opposed by 27-year old right-hander, Bud Norris (1-1, 5.46 ERA), who is coming off a strong outing of 6.2 innings, seven strikeouts, one walk and three earned runs against the New York Mets on Monday.

Here is some basic information to help you find the broadcast on Saturday night:

Starters: Jaime Garcia (2-1, 2.78 ERA) vs. Bud Norris (1-1, 5.46 ERA)

Game Date & Time: Saturday, May 5, 6:05 p.m. CT

Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX

TV: Fox Sports Midwest

Radio: AM 1120 KMOX (click here for full list of affiliates)

For more on the St. Louis Cardinals, head over to Viva El Birdos, SB Nation's Cards blog. Astros news and analysis is available at Crawfish Boxes. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louisfor more breaking news and updates concerning all matters St. Louis sports, and MLB Daily Dish for all your MLB rumors and news.

Cardinals Vs. Astros Final Score: St. Louis Drops Series Opener 5-4

The St. Louis Cardinals entered their road series against the Houston Astros with some momentum, but on Friday night they couldn't quite muster up enough runs and fell to the Astros 5-4. Jose Altuve blasted a three-run home run off Kyle Lohse in the second inning -- Lohse picked up his first loss of the season after a rocky 5.0 innings that included seven hits and five runs -- and the Cardinals never quite recovered.

Both bullpens pitched well, and Houston's relievers combined to hurl 3.2 innings of two-hit ball to protect the lead and secure the victory in the first game of a three-game set over the weekend. Rafael Furcal, Jon Jay and Matt Holliday each went 2-5 at the plate and each player scored a run -- with Holliday also driving in an RBI on a triple in the first inning -- but the rest of St. Louis' offense was held to just three hits.

On Saturday the Cardinals will look to get back on track, while the Astros hope to continue their strong play at home (8-5 in 2012).

For more on the St. Louis Cardinals, head over to Viva El Birdos, SB Nation's Cards blog. Astros news and analysis is available at Crawfish Boxes. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louisfor more breaking news and updates concerning all matters St. Louis sports, and MLB Daily Dish for all your MLB rumors and news.

Carlos Beltran Injury: Hamstring Keeps Beltran Out Of St. Louis Cardinals Lineup

The St. Louis Cardinals will be without slugger Carlos Beltran for their second consecutive game Friday—Rick Hummel reports that Beltran's leg stiffened up Friday morning. That leaves the Cardinals without their two 2004-vintage Killer B's; Lance Berkman is also out, despite becoming eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list, with continued problems related to his strained calf muscle and his ill-advised first triple of the season.

Beltran drove in seven runs in his last start, homering twice; on the season he's hitting .276/.394/.529, with seven home runs, five stolen bases, and 18 RBI. Without him and Berkman the Cardinals will continue to rely on Allen Craig, himself a recent DL returnee, and rookie Matt Carpenter, who's hit .279/.338/.485 as Berkman's caddy at first base. The Cardinals recently waived one backup outfielder, Erik Komatsu, who might have figured into the playing-time discussion.

For more information on the St. Louis Cardinals' weekend series with the Houston Astros, stay tuned to our storystream or follow along with the Cardinals fans at Viva El Birdos, who are writing jeremiads about the gods of baseball at this very moment.

Cardinals Vs. Astros Preview: St. Louis Heads To Houston For A Three-Game Weekend Series

The St. Louis Cardinals are in Houston for a three-game weekend series against the Astros.