ST. LOUIS (AP) — Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, a move that would fortify the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the agreement Thursday night and said it expects to make a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million over two years — the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny lineup flexibility.

Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a two-year, $14 million contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a one-year, $750,000 deal. The Cardinals appear to need only a few spare parts to finalize the roster.

After Pujols signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in 1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBIs.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004 with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.

ST. LOUIS (AP)—Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis
Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, a move
that would fortify the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the agreement Thursday night and said it expects to make
a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26
million over two years—the same figure cited by a person familiar with the
negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of
anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the
team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385
on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He
likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season.
Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny
lineup flexibility.

Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a
two-year, $14 million contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a
one-year, $750,000 deal. The Cardinals appear to need only a few spare parts to
finalize the roster.

After Pujols signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles
Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll
to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals
another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of
the season while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in
1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The
switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146
RBIs.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent
against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak
said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive
nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next
couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004
with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several
big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out
looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam
Wainwright.

———

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million over two years — the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny lineup flexibility.

Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a two-year, $14 million contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a one-year, $750,000 deal. The Cardinals appear to need only a few spare parts to finalize the roster.

After Pujols signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in 1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBIs.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004 with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.

___

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ST. LOUIS – Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, fortifying the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the move Thursday night and said it expects to make a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million over two years – the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals another strong outfield option but will miss at least the first month while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in 1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBIs.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004 with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.

R.B. FALLSTROM

AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Carlos Beltran and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract pending results of a physical, a move that would fortify the team’s lineup following the departure of Albert Pujols.

The team disclosed the agreement Thursday night and said it expects to make a formal announcement shortly after the holidays.

KMOX, the Cardinals’ flagship radio station, reported the deal is for $26 million over two years – the same figure cited by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details of the agreement were not announced by the team.

The 34-year-old Beltran batted .300 with 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants this year. He likely will be the opening-day right fielder for the Cardinals next season. Lance Berkman is expected to move to first base, taking Pujols’ spot.

Beltran and Berkman are switch-hitters, giving new manager Mike Matheny lineup flexibility.

Earlier this month, St. Louis re-signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a two-year, $14 million contract and added left-handed reliever J.C. Romero with a one-year, $750,000 deal. The Cardinals appear to need only a few spare parts to finalize the roster.

After Pujols signed a $254 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said he expected his team’s payroll to perhaps exceed this year’s total of $110 million.

Allen Craig, coming off an impressive postseason, gives the Cardinals another strong option in the outfield but will miss at least the first month of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

A six-time All-Star, Beltran began his career with the cross-state Royals in 1998, three years after Kansas City drafted him in the second round. The switch-hitter has a .283 career batting average with 302 home runs and 1,146 RBIs.

“Beltran is a proven outfielder who obviously has been a tough opponent against the Cardinals for many years,” St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak said in a statement. “It is going to be nice to have his bat and competitive nature working for us instead of on the other side of the field for the next couple of years.”

Beltran faced the Cardinals in a pair of NL championship series, in 2004 with Houston and 2006 with the Mets. St. Louis won both series despite several big hits by Beltran.

With a chance to put the Mets in the World Series, however, he struck out looking to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright.

___

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

(Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The top free agent in baseball is the focus of the St. Louis Cardinals at Major League Baseball’s general manager meetings in Milwaukee this week. Starting Nov. 14, all 30 general managers in MLB will be in one place. It’s a bonanza for free agent signings and agents will make the rounds. Albert Pujols(notes) will be the subject of many meet-and-greets.

Dan Lozano, Pujols’ agent, will be meeting with Cardinals’ GM John Mozeliak sometime this week. CBS Sports reports Lozano will meet with the team’s top brass to try to hammer out a deal for the superstar in Milwaukee. The Miami Marlins reportedly made a nine-year deal, somewhere at or below $225 million, for the first baseman.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch quoted Mozeliak as saying Pujols is the “face of the organization.” The writing is on the wall should the Pujols deal not get done. St. Louis signed Lance Berkman(notes) to a one-year, $12 million deal for next season back in September. Berkman spent time in right field this year while recovering from a leg injury. Berkman’s old position with the Houston Astros was first base.

ESPN reports other teams interested in Pujols are supposedly the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs. Should the Rangers find more money than the Cardinals, Pujols going to another winning team is not out of the realm of possibility. Going to a division rival such as the Cubs would be a step down as they rarely make the playoffs.

The Marlins are attractive as they have a new ballpark, new uniforms and hopefully loads of fans. The Latino population in the city would certainly be a draw for Pujols. MLB.com reports another free agent was in Miami being courted by the Marlins. Jose Reyes(notes) was supposedly offered six years and $90 million as a shortstop. If he signs on the dotted line, Reyes will be the highest paid Marlin in history.

The Marlins also have another difficulty. Any World Series may be years away. St. Louis has the ingredients to make it back to the Fall Classic next year. If winning another title is important to Pujols, he should stick with St. Louis. The Cardinals also have to offer him several hundred million reasons to stay.

William Browning was born in St. Louis and is a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan. He currently resides in Branson, Mo.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

“Happy Flight!” It’s become the catch phrase for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011 when they win a big game before hitting the road. That chant reverberated through the Cards clubhouse at Busch Stadium Sunday afternoon following a 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs. 

It’s a victory that moved the club within one game of Atlanta in the National League Wildcard race as the Redbirds get set to catch a flight to Houston for the final three games of the regular season.

Former Missouri State Bears pitcher Ross Detwiler pitched six shutout innings to lead the Washington Nationals to a 3-0 win over Atlanta, giving St. Louis an opportunity to get the race down to a single game, and the home team responded.

After Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 4th on Geovany Soto’s sacrifice fly, Cardinals starting pitcher Edwin Jackson helped himself by hitting a sacrfice fly with the based loaded in the bottom of the 5th, tying the game 1-1.

The Cubs got to Jackson in the 7th as Marlon Byrd led off with a double. After Jackson struck out Soto and pitcher Randy Wells, shortstop Starlin Castro singled home the go ahead run, making it 2-1 Chicago.

But the Cardinals had an answer, and it came from a catcher who St. Louis Manager Tony LaRussa said should be considered for an MVP award: Yadier Molina. The veteran backstsop put a charge into the crowd of 41,469 by launching a home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the 7th, tying the game 2-2. It turned out to be the first of two curtain calls for the Cardinals.

The game winning blow came in the bottom of the 8th. Leadoff man Rafael Furcal took an 0-1 pitch from Wells and put it over the right field wall, putting St. Louis up 3-2 and giving the crowd another reason to call for the curtain.

Octavio Dotel (3-2), retired the final two batters in the 8th to get the win in relief of Jackson, who gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings. Chicago’s starter, Wells, dropped to 7-6. He went eight innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Jason Motte worked a one-two-three top of the 9th to earn his ninth save of the season.

The Cardinals will send Jaime Garcia (13-7) to the mound Monday night in Houston. He’ll be opposed by Wandy Rodriguez (11-11). Game time is 7:05.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals will host their oldest rival in their 2012 home opener.

The Cardinals said Wednesday their first home game next season will be April 13 against the Chicago Cubs. It will be the latest home opener in St. Louis since the Cardinals opened on April 19, 1991, against Philadelphia.

Interleague games include a home stand June 8-17 against Cleveland, the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City.

In an oddity, division rival Houston plays in St. Louis only twice next season, and the first series with the Astros at Busch Stadium isn’t until Aug. 21-23. The Reds only play two series in St. Louis as well — during the opening home stand and for the final three games of the season, Oct. 1-3.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan has taken a leave of absence to tend to his ailing wife.

The Cardinals said Jeanine Duncan underwent major surgery Sunday night and would require additional tests and rehabilitation. Duncan left the team Saturday in Chicago and son Shelley Duncan left the Cleveland Indians to be with his mother.

Another son, Chris, formerly played for the Cardinals and is working in sports radio in St. Louis.

Duncan is the longest-tenured coach in major league history in his 32nd season, all with manager Tony La Russa. Team spokesman Brian Bartow said he didn’t know how long Duncan would need.

Bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist has assumed some of the pitching coach duties. The team may consider promoting another coach from the system while Duncan is out.

The team said the family asked for privacy, but was optimistic about a recovery. Full Story

Tigers’ Leyland defends Porcello again

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Detroit manager Jim Leyland is reiterating that Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello did not throw at Cleveland’s Asdrubal Cabrera.

Umpires warned both teams following Sunday’s episode. Cabrera stood at home plate watching as his long drive hooked foul, then Porcello threw the next pitch behind his back.

Before the game at Tampa Bay, Leyland acknowledged the errant pitch looked bad and “sends a red flag to everybody.” But he said Porcello was “absolutely not” trying to send Cabrera a message.

Leyland said Cabrera did nothing wrong by watching to see whether his fly ball would curve foul. Leyland added his team has no problem with the Indians, who are trying to catch Detroit in the AL Central.

Report: Dodgers 3B Blake pondering retirement

Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake has been on the disabled list three times this season and has played in only 58 games. He’s currently missed the past four games with a pinched nerve in his neck, and it may ultimately be what ends his career.

Blake is not specifically saying he’s going to retire right now, but that it’s a possbility. It is telling that he’s shifted focus on his personal goals. He reportedly went into the season wanting to play well enough that the Dodgers would pick up his $6 million option for next season. That focus has changed, due to the injury.

Blake also noted that he’s been told by doctors the condition could worsen if he plays with it.

Blake, 38, is hitting .250/.342/.362 this season. He was a key acquisition by the Dodgers in the 2008 season — in which they went to the NLCS — as he solidified the hot corner, but since then it’s become popular to trash the trade. In the deal, the Dodgers sent promising young catcher Carlos Santana to the Indians. If Blake does retire, he’d deserve a tip of the cap for an admirable career. He’s played for five teams over the course of 13 seasons, along the way picking up 1,182 hits, 167 home runs and an above average OPS (107 OPS-plus). He also played in three consecutive postseasons, from 2007-2009.

Cubs give SS Castro ‘mental day off’

CHICAGO — Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro was held out of the starting lineup against Atlanta, one night after television cameras caught him not paying attention in the field as a pitch was thrown.

The pitch in question occurred during the sixth inning of Sunday night’s 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. As reliever James Russell went into his motion and delivered to Daniel Descalso, Castro kicked at the dirt and then walked toward the outfield, never looking toward home plate when the pitch was thrown.

“When I saw Russ’ pitch when he wasn’t on board yet, that was the thing that got me more than anything,” Quade said. “People stay loose different ways and approach each pitch different ways, but the fact that he wasn’t prepared for Russ’ pitch was the main thing.”

ESPN aired a clip of the play the next inning and commentator Bobby Valentine spent nearly seven minutes haranguing Castro and the Cubs’ inability to get him to focus. Quade said he didn’t hear any of Valentine’s comments.

Indians DH Hafner back on disabled list

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Indians have yet another lineup hole to fill after putting designated hitter Travis Hafner on the disabled list.

General manager Chris Antonetti said Hafner will be sidelined at least two weeks with a strained right foot. The first-year GM is working the waiver wire to try and find help. Thus far, he has been swinging and missing as much as the Indians, who lead the AL in strikeouts.

That could include talking to Minnesota about 40-year-old DH Jim Thome now that the Twins are 13 games out in the AL Central. The second-place Indians, 4½ games back, may get their effort blocked by another team with a lesser record putting in a claim, such as the third-place Chicago White Sox.

Thome hit the first 334 of his 601 career homers with Cleveland before leaving as a free agent following the 2002 season. He has been limited to 68 games this year, batting .256 with 12 homers and 40 RBI and would be a popular addition with fans.

Rangers reach out to O’s about Davis’ injury

The Rangers and Orioles could “revisit” the trade that sent Koji Uehara to Texas in exchange for Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter last month.

Davis, a 25-year-old first baseman, is currently on the disabled list and could be done for the season with a small tear on his labrum. He has met with doctors and hopes to get back before the end of the season, but that’s uncertain. While he initially said he slept on his shoulder wrong while the Orioles were in Kansas City, he’s recently revealed that it had been bothering him before the trade, but didn’t tell the Rangers or ask for treatment.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniles told T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com that he’d talked to the Orioles’ Andy MacPhail about the situation.

“Andy was very clear he didn’t have any issues with us and the way things were handled,” Daniels told Sullivan. “We’ll stay in touch. It might be something we revisit, but there are no plans at this point.”

Pirates place righty Correia on DL

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have put starting pitcher Kevin Correia on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique and recalled right-hander Chris Leroux from a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the roster spot.

Correia is 12-11 with a 4.79 ERA this season but just 1-4 since the All-Star break. The right-hander surrendered six runs in six innings of a no-decision against Cincinnati on Friday.

Correia is the second Pittsburgh starter to go on the DL in the last week.

Paul Maholm was put on the 15-day DL last Friday with a left shoulder strain. The veteran left-hander was examined by Dr. James Andrews, and Maholm tweeted there was no further damage beyond the strain.

Twins place starter Blackburn (forearm) on DL

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins placed pitcher Nick Blackburn on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right forearm and recalled reliever Lester Oliveros from Triple-A Rochester before the game against the Baltimore Orioles.

Blackburn left his start on Sunday against the Yankees after 1 2/3 innings. He had an MRI and will meet with a specialist on Tuesday.

Anthony Swarzak will take Blackburn’s spot in the rotation and start on Friday when the Twins play Detroit.

Oliveros was one of two pitchers the Twins acquired in a trade that sent Delmon Young to Detroit on Aug. 16. The right-hander made three appearances in Rochester before getting recalled.

O’s activate starter Britton from DL

MINNEAPOLIS — Zach Britton was activated from the disabled list and will start for the Baltimore Orioles against the Minnesota Twins on Monday.

Britton has been on the disabled list since Aug. 5 with a left shoulder strain. After winning five of his first six decisions, the 23-year-old lefty hasn’t won since June 8 and has lost eight of his last nine.

Baltimore also recalled infielder Ryan Adams from Triple-A Norfolk and sent reliever Jason Berken to the 15-day DL with a right shoulder strain.

Adams hit .217 in seven games with the Orioles earlier in the season. He was playing second base and hitting ninth.

Astros activate OF Schafer from DL

DENVER — The Houston Astros have activated outfielder Jordan Schafer from the 15-day disabled list and put him into the lineup.

Schafer will make his Astros debut against Colorado. He was to bat leadoff and play center field.

Schafer was acquired from Atlanta as part of a five-player trade July 31. He has not played for Houston because of a chipped bone in his left middle finger. He was hurt five days before the deal and has been on the disabled list.

In 52 games for the Braves, Schafer hit .240 with 15 stolen bases. He hit .500 with three stolen bases in five rehabilitation games with Triple-A Oklahoma City. To make room for Schafer, the Astros optioned right- hander Jordan Lyles to Oklahoma City.

ST. LOUIS (AP)—Known for his game-managing and defensive skills, Yadier
Molina(notes) made another statement with his bat.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ slow-footed catcher was a triple shy of the cycle
for the second time in three games and homered for the third straight game,
helping Kyle McClellan(notes) end an eight-game victory drought in the St. Louis
Cardinals’ 10-5 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.

Molina has eight three-hit games, tied for the major league lead at his
position. After getting a rare day off, he doubled in the second, homered in the
fourth and hit an RBI single in the fifth. He didn’t play Sunday and has three
days off this month.

“Sometimes it helps,” Molina said. “This heat can wear you out, and
sometimes you take a day off, you feel good the next day.”

Trailing 8-1, Carlos Lee(notes) made it interesting with his 16th career grand slam
in the eighth off P.J. Walters(notes), cutting the gap to three runs before St. Louis
answered with two runs. He’s tied for ninth on the career list with Babe Ruth,
Hank Aaron and Dave Kingman and second on the active list, trailing only Alex
Rodriguez’(notes) 21.

Lee is 2-for-2 against Walters, both grand slams, also connecting on July
21, 2009 in Houston.

“I didn’t know that. For real?” Lee said. “That’s crazy, but that’s the
game.”

The Astros’ Hunter Pence(notes) suffered his second fielding gaffe in as many
games, handing Nick Punto(notes) a gift RBI triple in the second after misjudging a
routine fly, appearing to lose the ball in lights and then stumbling. It wasn’t
clear whether new turf, replaced after a U2 concert eight days earlier, played a
role.

“We’ll deal with it,” manager Brad Mills(notes) said. “We’re not thrilled with
it. You want the sure footing and so forth but it wasn’t there. And it cost us a
little bit.”

Center fielder Michael Bourn(notes) also wasn’t happy, saying he had some slips.

“I didn’t have a clue,” Bourn said. “It’s hard to keep your feet under
you.”

La Russa said there were no complaints from his players. Center fielder
Colby Rasmus(notes) made one of the top plays, going airborne to rob Jose Altuve(notes) of
extra bases to end the eighth.

“It was definitely playable,” La Russa said. “Too often it happens in the
second half of the season, whether you have a concert or not, it’s hot and it’s
hard.”

Rasmus, the Cardinals’ player mentioned most in rumors heading into the
trade deadline, homered for the second straight day with three RBIs.

Molina has three career triples in 897 career at-bats and missed his only
shot for the cycle when he took a called third strike from Mark Melancon(notes) in the
eighth. He’s 6-for-12 with two homers and five RBIs his last three games and his
eighth homer, matching his career single-season best from 2005, came in the
fourth off J.A. Happ(notes) (4-12).

Four of Molina’s homers have come this month.

McClellan (7-6) was the first National League pitcher to get to six
victories after working eight strong innings in a 4-2 victory over the Astros at
home on May 19 and finally made it to No. 7 after working seven strong innings.
The right-hander had been 0-4 with a 5.48 ERA the previous seven starts, all St.
Louis losses.

The first-year starter allowed one run on six hits and walked none and has
won all three of his outings against the Astros.

“You keep your mindset the same if you’re winning every time out or losing
every time out,” McClellan said. “I don’t feel like I went out and pitched
terrible for two months.”

Happ surrendered five or more runs for the sixth straight start, and has
given up five or more runs in half of his eight career starts against the
Cardinals. He’s lost all four starts against St. Louis this year and is 1-7 with
a 8.02 ERA on the road this season.

“He was throwing a lot more strikes and that’s definitely moving in the
right direction,” Mills said.

Pence leads the National League with nine assists and was the Astros’ lone
All-Star, but has struggled lately.

On Sunday, Pence said he was blinded by the sun on Marlon Byrd’s(notes) leadoff
triple, which should have been a routine play, in the 10th inning of the Cubs’
5-4 victory. He came in on Punto’s fly ball, then appeared blinded by lights on
a hit that put St. Louis up 2-1.

In the eighth, Pence apparently believed he had caught Ryan Theriot’s(notes) fly
ball for the third out, running several steps before finally throwing late to
third as Punto took the extra base.

Punto scored on what appeared to be a busted squeeze play, and was halfway
down the line when McClellan swung away and grounded out to second for an RBI
that made it 3-1.

“I thought it was a hit and run, right?” McClellan joked. La Russa said
the RBI “just reduces the fine a little bit.”

The Astros have lost four in a row and are a major-league worst 33-69, going
10-35 since June 2. A bright spot was rookie Jose Altuve, who had three hits and
has hit safely in all five career starts.

The 21-year-old Altuve began the year at Class A Lancaster and at the time
of his callup led all minor leaguers with a .389 average.

Notes: Walters had not allowed a hit in 3 2/3 innings before Monday, when he
gave up three hits and four runs in one-third of an inning. … Cardinals 3B
David Freese(notes), who has complained of leg tightness in recent games, was removed
for a pinch runner after walking in the fifth. … Bourn singled in the eighth
and is 19-for-47 during a 10-game hitting streak. He entered with 64 hits since
June 1, most in the majors over that span. … Lee hit his first grand slam
since June 9, 2010 at Colorado and it was the Astros’ first since Jason Michaels(notes)
connected against the Brewers Aug. 1, 2010. … Pence, Lee and Brett Wallace(notes) are
a combined 25-for-41 (.609) against Jake Westbrook(notes), the Cardinals’ starter
Tuesday.

(CBS) The White Sox are in talks with the St. Louis Cardinals about acquiring center fielder Colby Rasmus, according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

The 24 year-old outfielder is batting just .241 this season with nine home runs and 36 runs batted in. He recently lost his regular starting job in center field to Jon Jay and the Cardinals are hoping to move Rasmus for pitching help.

According to the report, “negotiations with White Sox general manager Kenny Williams have accelerated in recent days,  according to sources, with the Sox able to dangle pending free agent  pitcher Edwin Jackson or lefthanded reliever Matt Thornton.”

The report also said the Cardinals are interested in some of the White Sox’s minor league prospects.

(Sports Network) – Kevin Correia goes after win No. 12 this evening when the Pittsburgh Pirates continue their three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park.

Correia has been as a big of a surprise this season as the Pirates, going 11-7 with a 4.04 earned run average. He is winless in his last two starts, though, and received a no-decision on Sunday in Houston, as he allowed three runs and five hits in six innings of his team’s 7-5 win.

He also helped his cause with a two-run double.

“I kind of got back in a little rhythm there at the end and pitched well enough — with my offensive capabilities — to keep us in the game,” Correia said.

Pitching at home has been a problem for the right-hander, as he is just 2-5 in nine games at PNC with a 5.94 ERA.

Correia beat the Cards with seven scoreless innings earlier in the year and is 2-2 lifetime against them with a 2.79 ERA in 12 games (five starts).

St. Louis, meanwhile, will counter with lefty Jaime Garcia, who had a three- start winning streak stopped his last time out. Garcia pitched well in defeat on Sunday, though, in Cincinnati, as he allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits in seven innings. He also struck out six without walking a batter, but still fell to 9-4 to go along with a 3.11 ERA.

Garcia is 0-1, despite surrendering just a run in 9 1/3 innings in three games (one start) against the Pirates.

St. Louis drew first blood in this key NL Central matchup on Friday, as Albert Pujols and David Freese each hit two- run homers and Chris Carpenter tossed eight innings to lift the Cardinals to a 6-4 victory.

Yadier Molina went 3-for-4 with a solo home run for the Cardinals, who along with the Pirates are one game behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. The Brewers won in San Francisco Friday night.

Pujols finished 4-for-5 for the Cardinals, who have won back-to-back games on the heels of a three-game slide. Carpenter (6-7) earned the victory after allowing four runs on 10 hits and he also went 2-for-4 with an RBI at the plate.

“That was a nice win,” said Carpenter. “We scored runs early and I was able to do what I needed to do to get deep in the game and give us a chance.”

Fernando Salas allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth inning to record his 18th save.

Paul Maholm (6-10) was charged with the loss, surrendering five runs on 10 hits in six innings. It was just the third loss in eight decisions for Maholm, who had an RBI single in the setback.

“Early in the game he was leaving the rubber a little bit early. He wasn’t quite getting the ball down as much as he wanted to,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Maholm’s performance.

Michael McKenry had three hits for the Pirates, while Garrett Jones was 2- for-4 with two RBI. Ronny Cedeno, who was activated from the disabled list prior to the game, finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Pirates have dropped two in a row following a three-game winning streak.

The Pirates took two of three from the Cardinals earlier in the year.

The Sports Network