The Stros lost their seventh game in the last nine on Saturday afternoon as the Cards scored six runs in the last two innings in their 10-3 victory. Albert Pujols went nuclear on the Stros, going 4 for 5 with two mammoth yaks, a double, and three RBIs.
The game was close until the eighth when things really got out of hand. Jeff Kent went after a foul pop-up from Ray Lankford that appeared to richocet into fair territory (and unfortunately away from Kent) off of one of the Juice Box‘s roof beams. Under Minute Maid Park ground rules, the ball should have been declared a foul ball, but the umpiring staff blew the call, just as they blew the balk call against Dotel the previous game. The flustered Kent overthrew third base on the play, allowing another run to score, and a Vizcaino throwing error on the next batter allowed two more runs to score. After that chaotic interlude, the Stros were toast.
Tim Redding takes the mound tomorrow in the Sunday afternoon game to try and salvage one for the Stros in this series. Ace Matt Morris goes for the Redbirds.