MLB NEWS
Pujols Hits Two Monster HR’s, Cards Cruise Past Padres
Published by MoonDog on May 20, 2008
From the Associated Press
Albert Pujols hit two mighty home runs, and Cesar Izturis and Ryan Ludwick also went yard in leading the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-2 win over the punchless San Diego Padres on Monday night.
It was the third straight win for the Cardinals, who got to face Wil Ledezma instead of Padres ace Jake Peavy, who could be heading for the disabled list due to soreness in his pitching elbow.
The four homers were the most in a game this year for the Cardinals, who tied their season high with 16 hits.
The Padres (16-30) have the worst record in the major leagues. It was their third straight loss and 11th in 15 games.
Pujols went 3-for-5, scored three runs and drove in two. It was his 22nd career multihomer game and his second this season. Pujols has 11 homers.
Pujols’ first homer was massive. He led off the fifth inning by hitting reliever Justin Germano’s second pitch into the balcony on the fourth floor of the Western Metal Supply Co. building in Petco Park’s left-field corner, 405 feet from home plate.
He hit another high, arching shot leading off the eighth, this one into the seats in left-center on a full-count pitch from left-hander Sean Henn.
Ludwick got some help from Padres left fielder Scott Hairston in hitting the first homer of the night, which gave St. Louis a 2-0 lead with two outs in the first.
Hairston positioned himself against the wall as he settled under the fly ball, but didn’t get a good jump and the ball hit off the top of his glove and went over the fence. Skip Schumaker was aboard on a leadoff single.
Hairston made a much better jump in going after Izturis’ fly ball with one out in the fourth, but it left the park on its own to give St. Louis a 4-1 lead. It was Izturis’ first.
Ludwick went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. He also hit a run-scoring double.
Starter Todd Wellemeyer (5-1) hit an RBI single and held the Padres to two runs in six innings. He walked three and struck out two.
Ledezma (0-1) gave up four runs and five hits in four innings, walked two and struck out two.
Peavy, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, had been scheduled to start but was scratched on Sunday due to soreness in his pitching elbow that had been bothering for three or four starts. He had an MRI on Monday. Manager Bud Black said it was likely Peavy would miss more than one start.
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tophatal on Tue, 20th May 2008 08:51
Moon Dog
Nowadays there’s not much to cruise past if your team happens to be playing the Padres. They’ve become the NL’s answer to the Kansas City Royals. Beyond seeing Maddux or Peavy pitch there really isn’t much to the team.
As for Pujols would we really be expecting any less from him at this juncture ?
tophatal …………
MoonDog on Tue, 20th May 2008 13:05
Albert has some protection behind him in the person of Ryan Ludwick. If Ludwick can continue his current level of production, Albert will get his usual numbers and possibly more.
Jay on Thu, 22nd May 2008 08:47
PETCO seriously needs to re-work their homer measuring system. To officially call that as a 405 foot shot is laughable.
MoonDog on Thu, 22nd May 2008 09:24
Jay – I agree. That ball would still be traveling had it not hit the building. When he gets all of it, they go a long way.
Thanks for chiming in.