SB Nation St. Louis - Cardinals' Dustpans Empty: Sweep Fails To Materialize For Eighth Timehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49009/stl-fave.png2010-06-30T17:11:47-05:00http://stlouis.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13094222010-06-30T17:11:47-05:002010-06-30T17:11:47-05:00Cardinals Still Can't Sweep, Lose 4-2 To Diamondbacks In Afternoon Finale
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<p>Jeff Suppan was basically Suppanesque, and Matt Holliday drove in a run on an RBI triple, but the Cardinals were once more unable to sweep a team they had down 2-0. For the eighth time this season, they plucked the first two games of the series and then found the final game pulled out from under them.</p>
<p>It was a frustrating game for each side; the Cardinals' 25 runners left on base would be horrifying had the Diamondbacks not left runners on base 23 times themselves. But in the end it was Suppan (0-4), and not Diamondbacks rookie Barry Enright (1-0), making his Major League debut, who pitched himself into and out of one jam too many. In the fifth inning Suppan left a runner on for Diamondbacks center fielder Chris Young, who hit a crucial home run to put the Diamondbacks up 3-1. </p>
<p>The Cardinals rallied in the ninth against newly installed Diamondbacks closer Aaron Heilman, who earlier in the series managed to lose game one without giving up a walk or a hit. With one out Matt Holliday and Colby Rasmus singled to install the go-ahead run at home plate in the person of Nick Stavinoha, replacing a still-gimpy Ryan Ludwick in right field. Stavinoha, who went 1-5, flew out to right field. From Tony La Russa's incredibly thin bench came Aaron Miles, in to pinch hit for Jason LaRue. Miles watched two pitches go by and then flew out to Justin Upton to end the game. </p>
<p>Holliday went 2-4 for the Cardinals, and Skip Schumaker added two hits in the leadoff role. Stephen Drew and Chris Snyder combined for five hits for the Diamondbacks, who improved to 31-48. </p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2010/6/30/1545930/cardinals-still-cant-sweep-lose-4Dan Moore2010-06-30T12:51:46-05:002010-06-30T12:51:46-05:00Preview: Suppan Can Help Cardinals Put Finishing Touches On D-Backs
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<p>(<a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/54403/preview/107970">Sports Network</a>) - Journeyman right-hander <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/1051/Jeff_Suppan">Jeff Suppan</a> can put the finishing touches on a home sweep today when the first-place <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/STL">St. Louis Cardinals</a> host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/ARI">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> in the finale of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/STL">Cardinals</a>, who won 6-5 on Monday, made it two straight with an 8-0 triumph last night, when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/945/Albert_Pujols">Albert Pujols</a> homered twice as part of a three-hit night and drove in five runs.</p>
<p>The win lifted St. Louis back into the No. 1 spot in a topsy-turvy National League Central Division, where it now leads Cincinnati by a half-game after the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/CIN">Reds</a> lost, 9-6, to Philadelphia.</p>
<p>Arizona committed two errors in the ninth inning of Monday's loss, but the suspense in the middle game was taken away quickly as Pujols belted two-run homers in the third and fifth innings.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/973/Adam_Wainwright">Adam Wainwright</a> (11-5) struck out seven batters in 6 1/3 shutout innings. The right-hander allowed five hits and walked three, but moved to 8-0 this season at Busch Stadium.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/497/Felipe_Lopez">Felipe Lopez</a> went 4-for-5 with three runs scored for the Cardinals.</p>
<p>Pujols tied Stan Musial for the Cardinals record with 37 career multi-homer games.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/470/Dontrelle_Willis">Dontrelle Willis</a> (1-1) surrendered seven hits and five runs over four-plus innings for Arizona, which lost for the 18th time in its last 21 road games.</p>
<p>Suppan, who turned 35 in January, makes his fourth start since returning to the team with which he starred en route to a 2006 World Series title.</p>
<p>The Oklahoma City native left for Milwaukee after that season, however, and struggled to just 29 wins in 110 outings with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/MIL">Brewers</a> before rejoining the Cardinals with a four-inning outing on June 15 against Seattle.</p>
<p>In three assignments thus far with St. Louis, Suppan has allowed 18 hits and six runs in 13 2/3 innings, picking up a loss and a pair of no-decisions.</p>
<p>He tossed an inning of scoreless relief against Arizona while with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/MIL">Brewers</a> on May 9, and is 3-3 lifetime versus the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/ARI">Diamondbacks</a> in 10 games with a 3.98 earned run average.</p>
<p>Arizona replies with 24-year-old righty <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/33696/Barry_Enright">Barry Enright</a>, a second-round draft pick in 2007 who'll make his major-league debut.</p>
<p>The 6-foot-3, 220-pound product of Pepperdine University had been pitching at Double-A Mobile, where he posted a 2.88 ERA in 93 2/3 innings while walking 15 batters and striking out 83.</p>
<p>He's also a threat with the bat after hitting .356 in 68 plate appearances, with a .406 on-base percentage and .546 slugging percentage, at Mobile.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks are just 12-30 on the road, while the Cardinals have won 25 of 37 home games.</p>
<p>Arizona and St. Louis split six meetings prior to this series.</p>
https://stlouis.sbnation.com/2010/6/30/2317250/preview-suppan-can-help-cardinals-put-finishing-touches-on-d-backsEvan Dunlap