The Cardinals began the week on top of the National League and ended it one game from the top, thanks in part to a rain out. There aren't a lot of deficiencies right now. Starting pitchers are keeping every game competitive (more or less), the lineup is solid, even beyond Pujols.  When used properly, the bullpen has been nothing short of automatic. We know controversy sells, but we ain't got a shipment of disagreements in ages. We're stock full of gloating though! Get it before it spoils.

Game 20 vs. Atl., W 3-2:  The Cards defense hasn't been as good as last year. Granted they finished second best last year, but numerous errors by Khalilbot and Pujols(!) have, on occasion, hurt the club. When Joel Pineiro is on the mound, the team needs to be on defensive lockdown.  The dude loves the sinker like I love Brooks ketchup. Of the 20 outs he pitched, 13 were ground balls. He's playing Street Fighter and using back+down+B over and over and over again and it's kicking some pixelated butt. At the plate, he walked and scored the go ahead run in the 7th. I knew he'd be good all along (nevermind the archives).

Game 21 vs. Atl., L 1-2: Six innings of shutout pitching by Kyle Lohse wasn't enough to take this game. An early RBI by Yadi was the sole run in the game until the 8th inning when ST.LOUISAN Kyle McClellan walked three and let up two runs.  LaRussa had a bullpen full of relievers from which to choose to work the 8th, but he picked the guy who pitched questionably the night before. The bullpen works, you just have to use it right. The game ended with Rocking Mike Gonzalez who is begging everyone to notice his quirky delivery.

Game 22 vs. Atl., W 5-3: Wainwright pitched six ugly innings in a win-is-a-win-situation. He allowed two earned runs, seven hits and walked five. Even though it didn't look like a victory, the bullpen combined for three innings of shutout baseball. The lineup scattered nine hits off of Javier Vasquez (mostly in the 5th inning) to scare up five runs. Every starting infielder (minus Yadi) had a hit and a run or an RBI. Then at the end of the game they all got together for a jumping group high-five. Not really. Teams that do that junk are dumb.

Game 23 vs. Wash., W 9-4: When you start a series with a team like the Nationals, you go in expecting to at least take the series. Southern Gentleman Mitchell Boggs got the start for the first game of the series and pitched pretty well. He let up two runs in the first inning and two in the sixth but in between struck out nine. Taking a 4-4 tie into the ninth inning, Ankiel got an RBI off of Dirty Hatted Julian Tavarez. Tavarez then walked Smokey Joe Thurston and then angered Jason LaRue's mullet with a hit by pitch. Not a Robot Tyler Greene singled past Ryan Zimmerman, and a misplay by Yes He's Still Playing Christian Guzman allowed another run. In total, the Cards collected five runs off of the Nats bullpen, aka the Reds Triple-A bullpen.

Article Author: Brian_Kist

Brian Kist is a writer in Southwest Missouri. He listens to punk music and enjoys baseball. He mashes those together at Punk on Deck.

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