St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a broken left hand.

The Cardinals activated infielder-outfielder Allen Craig from the DL on Monday before the start of a four-game series against the Florida Marlins.

Freese was hit by a pitch from Scott Linebrink in the sixth inning Sunday at Atlanta. He was batting .356 with two homers and 14 runs batted in in 25 games, rebounding from surgery to both ankles last season.

Craig was 0 for 6 in a two-game injury rehabilitation assignment from a groin injury at Double-A Springfield (Mo.). He was batting .313 with a home run and seven RBIs in 11 games with St. Louis before being injured on April 16.

Cano has bone bruise on hand

New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano was out of the starting lineup for Monday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers because of what he describes as a bone bruise on his left hand.

Cano said he injured himself taking a pickoff throw during Sunday’s game against Toronto.

Eduardo Nunez started in Cano’s place at second base.

Cano is off to a terrific start this season, batting .320 with eight home runs and 21 RBIs. He said he hopes to be able to play Tuesday.

Lee to rejoin Astros

Houston Astros left fielder Carlos Lee was scheduled to rejoin the team on Monday afternoon in Cincinnati after staying in Houston a day to undergo tests after a rib injury.

Lee bruised his ribs in the seventh inning of Houston’s 5-0 win over Milwaukee on Sunday when teammate Angel Sanchez slid knee-first into his ribs while the two were going for Mark Kotsay’s pop-fly double.

Lee was carted off the field and taken to a hospital where he underwent tests. X-rays and a CT scan came back normal and Lee is listed as day to day.

The Astros were off on Monday after a forecast of steady rain forced the postponement of their scheduled Monday night game against the Reds. They are to make up the game on Thursday afternoon.

Mejia has torn elbow ligament

New York Mets right-hander Jenrry Mejia has a torn elbow ligament and has been told he needs surgery.

An MRI exam Monday at the Hospital for Special Surgery revealed a complete tear of his medial collateral ligament. The Mets said Mejia is expected to get a second opinion before deciding on surgery.

Mejia was 0-4 with a 4.62 earned-run average in three starts and 30 relief appearances for the Mets last season and 1-2 with a 2.86 ERA in five starts this year at triple-A Buffalo. He left Friday’s game after four innings because of discomfort.

Indians, Brewers make trade

The Cleveland Indians traded triple-A infielder Jordan Brown to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations.

Brown played in 26 games for the Indians last season, batting .230 with two RBIs. The 27-year-old had been at triple-A Columbus. The Brewers are expected to send Brown to triple-A Nashville.

Brown showed promise last season, batting .298 with eight homers and 67 RBIs for the Clippers. He had two stints with the Indians, the first starting on July 31 after Austin Kearns was traded to the New York Yankees.

The Indians selected Brown in the fourth round of the 2005 draft.

Minor leaguer suspended 50 games

A minor league pitcher in the Texas Rangers system was suspended 50 games for a second drug violation.

Right-hander Andrew Doyle of Myrtle Beach (S.C.) in the Carolina League was penalized Monday. The reliever was 1-1 in two levels of Class A ball this season.

Doyle was the Rangers’ fourth-round pick in the 2009 draft.

Edinson Volquez took the blame for the pitch that ruined his start.

The Cincinnati Reds right-hander said he shook off catcher Ryan Hanigan on the first-pitch fastball that Yadier Molina hit for a three-run homer in the sixth inning of a 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night. Though it was his 100th pitch, Volquez said fatigue was not a factor.

“No, no, I was good,” Volquez said. “I just made a mistake. I just threw the wrong pitch. That was my call, too.”

Jake Westbrook threw six innings of three-hit ball in his first career start on three days’ rest for the Cardinals. The outing was the longest of the season for Westbrook (2-2), who entered with a 9.82 ERA and was strafed for seven runs in three innings Wednesday against the Nationals. The early hook after 68 pitches perhaps allowed Westbrook to rebound and help the Cardinals take two of three, break a tie with Cincinnati for first place in the NL Central and go to 11-0-1 in home series against the Reds since 2006.

The Cardinals had two men on with two out, both on pop-ups, before Molina’s homer.

“That pitch was supposed to be inside, but it got a little too much of the plate and Molina is a smart hitter,” manager Dusty Baker said. “Most of the time, in that situation he’s going to shoot you into right field, but that time it looked like he was looking for it in there.”

Baker said Volquez would have been done for the night after the sixth.

“What are you going to do, are you going to take him out right there?” Baker said. “The way he had manipulated his way through the inning, do you give him a chance to get out of that or do you bring somebody else in to take a chance of losing this game?

“That was his game and his pitch count wasn’t that high and he was throwing the ball great, he just barely missed on that location.”

Albert Pujols was removed for precautionary reasons after seven innings with mild tightness in right hamstring.

Brandon Phillips had a pair of doubles for the Reds, who were shut out for the first time and have lost nine of 11.

Volquez (2-1), who warmed up but did not pitch in a rain-delayed game Friday, had all seven of his strikeouts in the first four innings and limited the Cardinals to four hits in the first five before fading. Matt Holliday doubled with one out, followed by an intentional walk to Lance Berkman, and Daniel Descalso fouled out before Molina jumped on a first-pitch fastball for his first homer.

Volquez has allowed seven home runs, one off the league lead.

Phillips doubled with one out in the fourth for the first hit off Westbrook and doubled again in the sixth, both times ignoring boos from fans who can’t forget his role in a brawl last August in Cincinnati. Umpires presumably can’t forget either, with plate umpire John Hirshbeck warning both benches after Aroldis Chapman threw well inside against Molina in the eighth inning.

Volquez replaced Sam LeCure in the series finale, with LeCure the probable pitcher Monday night in Milwaukee.

Westbrook struck out four and walked three while throwing 87 pitches. He’s 8-18 with a 5.00 ERA for his career in April, by far his worst month, even after mastering the Reds. His previous outing, on six days’ rest due to a rainout, was his shortest in nearly four seasons.

Mitchell Boggs worked the ninth for his third save in as many chances since replacing Ryan Franklin at the beginning of a 4-2 homestand and relievers combined for six strikeouts in three innings. The Cardinals have won 10 of 14 overall.

Notes: Tony La Russa is much improved from a virus leaving the right side of his face swollen and eye nearly closed earlier in the homestand. … Molina threw out a runner attempting to steal and homered in the same game for the fifth time in his career, according to STATS LLC. … Reds RHP Homer Bailey (shoulder) worked 5 1-3 scoreless innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Indianapolis, allowing three hits with six strikeouts and a walk, and the team will decide Monday whether he will need another start. … Joey Votto has reached base safely in all 22 games. … Chapman has not allowed an earned run in 10 appearances covering 9 2-3 innings.

The Associated Press

Posted on April 24, 2011 at 10:13 PM

Updated yesterday at 1:45 AM

Scores | Standings | Stats | Roster | Schedule | Transactions | Injuries | Depth 

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Working on three days’ rest for the first time in his career, Jake Westbrook was at his best.  

Distancing himself from four shaky starts this month, Westbrook threw six innings of three-hit ball in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 3-0 victory Sunday night.  

“I didn’t notice anything at all,” Westbrook said. “I felt great. It was kind of one of those things where coming into the night that didn’t even cross my mind at all. It was just a matter of going out there and being better than I have been.”  

Yadier Molina hit a three-run homer in the sixth off the 100th pitch from Edinson Volquez for the Cardinals, who took two of three and broke a tie with Cincinnati for first place in the NL Central. St. Louis is 11-0-1 in home series against the Reds since June 2006.  

“Well, the numbers don’t lie, but I think this is a different ballclub,” Reds outfielder Jonny Gomes said. “With the new core of guys here, it’s a different ballclub and hopefully we’ll be able to turn that around soon.”  

Molina, in the middle of the teams’ brawl last August after taking exception to Brandon Phillips’ bat tap on his shin guard, seemed to relish a curtain call.  

“I mean, every time you hit a home run, what do you want, to be mad or sad?” Molina said. “No, you’ve got to enjoy it, man, especially here.  

“That’s the way you have to play this game, to have fun.”  

The outing was the longest of the season for Westbrook (2-2), who entered with a 9.82 ERA and was strafed for seven runs in three innings Wednesday against the Nationals. The early hook after 68 pitches perhaps allowed Westbrook to rebound.  

“It was kind of one of those things where unfortunately I didn’t pitch very well so they could get me out of there,” Westbrook said.  

Albert Pujols was removed for precautionary reasons after seven innings with mild tightness in right hamstring, slowing up noticeably halfway down the line on a groundout to end the seventh. While optimistic, he wasn’t ready to guarantee he’d be in the lineup Tuesday when the Cardinals play at Houston to begin a six-game trip. 

“I don’t want to say yes and not be there,” Pujols said. “I’m a little bit sore.” 

Brandon Phillips had a pair of doubles for the Reds, who were shut out for the first time and have lost nine of 11.  

Volquez (2-1), who warmed up but did not pitch in a rain-delayed game Friday, had all seven of his strikeouts in the first four innings and limited the Cardinals to four hits in the first five before fading. Matt Holliday doubled with one out, followed by an intentional walk to Lance Berkman, and Daniel Descalso fouled out before Molina jumped on a first-pitch fastball for his first homer.  

Volquez said he shook off a sign from catcher Ryan Hanigan, who wanted a changeup.  

“I just threw the wrong pitch,” Volquez said. “That was my call, too. We had got him out before with breaking ball, fastball and changeup.”  

Phillips doubled with one out in the fourth for the first hit off Westbrook and doubled again in the sixth, both times ignoring boos from fans who can’t forget his role in the dustup last August. Umpires presumably can’t forget either, with plate umpire John Hirshbeck warning both benches after Aroldis Chapman threw well inside against Molina in the eighth inning.  

Molina didn’t think Chapman was intentionally buzzing him.  

“No, I don’t think so, I don’t think they did it,” Molina said. “But if they did I don’t care, we got the win.”  

Volquez replaced Sam LeCure in the series finale, with LeCure the probable pitcher Monday night in Milwaukee. Manager Dusty Baker confirmed only that LeCure would pitch sometime in the Brewers series.  

Westbrook struck out four and walked three while throwing 87 pitches. He’s 8-18 with a 5.00 ERA for his career in April, by far his worst month, even after mastering the Reds. His previous outing, on six days’ rest due to a rainout, was his shortest in nearly four seasons.  

Mitchell Boggs worked the ninth for his third save in as many chances since replacing Ryan Franklin at the beginning of a 4-2 homestand and relievers combined for six strikeouts in three innings. The Cardinals have won 10 of 14 overall.  

Notes: Tony La Russa is much improved from a virus leaving the right side of his face swollen and eye nearly closed earlier in the homestand. … Molina threw out a runner attempting to steal and homered in the same game for the fifth time in his career, according to STATS LLC. … Reds RHP Homer Bailey (shoulder) worked 5 1-3 scoreless innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Indianapolis, allowing three hits with six strikeouts and a walk, and the team will decide Monday whether he will need another start.  

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