GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: ST LOUIS (69-69) at ARIZONA (79-63)

NL: ST LOUIS (69-69) at ARIZONA (79-63)

<h3>Ankiel, Cardinals face division-leading Diamondbacks</h3>



<div class="pre">St Louis (69-69) at Arizona (79-63) 4:40 pm EDT</div>

PHOENIX (Ticker) - Rick Ankiel's comeback has gone from a greatstory to being a distraction to a team in a pennant race.

Ankiel and the St. Louis Cardinals continue their three-gameseries with the National League West-leading ArizonaDiamondbacks on Saturday.


Ankiel, who received human growth hormone in 2004, addressed themedia before Friday's 4-2 series opening loss.


"I'm just disappointed," he said. "I just don't want it tobecome a bigger distraction that it already has become. We're inthe middle of a pennant race. I just want to be able to go outthere and compete at the highest level I can."


The defending world champion Cardinals are one game back ofChicago (71-69) and Milwaukee (71-69) in the NL central. Ankielhas been a big contributor, hitting .353 with nine home runsand 29 RBI since being called up from Class AAA Louisville onAugust 9.


Another key contributor is Braden Looper (12-10, 4.45), who islooking for his third straight win. Looper has thrown 14straight scoreless innings and has allowed three runs or less ineach of last five starts.


Arizona, which leads San Diego by two games in the NL West,counters with rookie Micah Owings (6-8, 4.75 ERA). Owings, whowinless in his last three starts, allowed five runs on four homeruns in three innings of a 10-2 loss to San Diego on Monday.

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">ST LOUIS AT ARIZONA -- LINEUPS

ST LOUIS ARIZONA
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
David Eckstein SS .298 2 26 Stephen Drew SS .230 10 47
Rick Ankiel RF .353 9 29 Chris Young CF .238 28 58
Albert Pujols 1B .318 30 86 Eric Byrnes LF .295 21 81
Jim Edmonds CF .246 10 43 Conor Jackson 1B .279 12 48
Chris Duncan LF .261 21 70 Miguel Montero C .227 10 35
Yadier Molina C .277 6 36 Mark Reynolds 3B .268 12 49
Aaron Miles 2B .306 1 26 Jeff Salazar RF .276 0 5
Braden Looper RHP .174 0 5 Augie Ojeda 2B .235 1 7
(12-10, 4.45) Micah Owings RHP .294 4 12
Brendan Ryan 3B .341 4 10 (6-8, 4.75)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA
WARMUPS: STL - BRADEN LOOPER (12-10, 4.45)
ARI - MICAH OWINGS (6-8, 4.75)

UMPIRES: HP - JIM WOLF
1B - JERRY MEALS
2B - GARY DARLING
3B - LARRY PONCINO

WEATHER: INDOORS</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">ST LOUIS AT ARIZONA -- REVISED LINEUPS

ST LOUIS ARIZONA
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
David Eckstein SS .298 2 26 Stephen Drew SS .230 10 47
Rick Ankiel RF .353 9 29 Chris Young CF .238 28 58
Albert Pujols 1B .318 30 86 Eric Byrnes LF .295 21 81
Jim Edmonds CF .246 10 43 Conor Jackson 1B .279 12 48
Chris Duncan LF .261 21 70 Miguel Montero C .227 10 35
Aaron Miles 2B .306 1 26 Mark Reynolds 3B .268 12 49
Kelly Stinnett C .174 1 4 Jeff Salazar RF .276 0 5
Braden Looper RHP .174 0 5 Augie Ojeda 2B .235 1 7
(12-10, 4.45) Micah Owings RHP .294 4 12
Brendan Ryan 3B .341 4 10 (6-8, 4.75)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA
STARTING BATS: STL - BRADEN LOOPER AND KELLY STINNETT
ARI - MICAH OWINGS AND MIGUEL MONTERO

DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: D ECKSTEIN (.298, 2 HR, 26 RBI)
R ANKIEL (.353, 9 HR, 29 RBI)
A PUJOLS (.318, 30 HR, 86 RBI)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
ST LOUIS 0 0 1 0
ARIZONA 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

CURRENT PITCHERS: STL - BRADEN LOOPER
ARI - MICAH OWINGS

DUE UP FOR ARIZONA: S DREW (.230, 10 HR, 47 RBI)
C YOUNG (.238, 28 HR, 58 RBI)
E BYRNES (.295, 21 HR, 81 RBI)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">ST LOUIS (0) VS ARIZONA (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS

ST LOUIS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Eckstein ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
R Ankiel rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .349
A Pujols 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .319
J Edmonds cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .245
C Duncan lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261
A Miles 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306
K Stinnett c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .174
B Looper p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .174
B Ryan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .341

Totals 4 0 1 0 0 0 1

BATTING: 2B - A Pujols (29, M Owings). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out
- J Edmonds 1. Team LOB - 1.


ARIZONA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
S Drew ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .230
C Young cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .238
E Byrnes lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .295
C Jackson 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .279
M Montero c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .227
M Reynolds 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .268
J Salazar rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .276
A Ojeda 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
M Owings p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
ST LOUIS - 0 -- 0
ARIZONA - -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

ST LOUIS ip h r er bb so hr era
B Looper 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.45

ARIZONA ip h r er bb so hr era
M Owings 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.71

Pitches-strikes: M Owings 11-7. Ground balls-fly balls: M Owings 1-2. Batters
faced: M Owings 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Jim Wolf. 1B--Jerry Meals. 2B--Gary Darling. 3B--Larry Poncino.

Weather: 99 degrees, clear. Wind: 5 mph, in from center.</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA
CONFIRMED STARTERS: STL - BRADEN LOOPER
ARI - MICAH OWINGS</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY CONOR JACKSON (13) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 1ST OFF BRADEN LOOPER SCORED CHRIS YOUNG AND ERIC BYRNES.
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 0, ARIZONA 3

DUE UP FOR ARIZONA: M MONTERO (.227, 10 HR, 35 RBI)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">ST LOUIS (0) VS ARIZONA (3) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS

ST LOUIS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Eckstein ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
R Ankiel rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .349
A Pujols 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .319
J Edmonds cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .245
C Duncan lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261
A Miles 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306
K Stinnett c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .174
B Looper p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .174
B Ryan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .341

Totals 4 0 1 0 0 0 1

BATTING: 2B - A Pujols (29, M Owings). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out
- J Edmonds 1. Team LOB - 1.


ARIZONA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
S Drew ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .230
C Young cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .239
E Byrnes lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .296
C Jackson 1b 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 .280
M Montero c 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .226
M Reynolds 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .271
J Salazar rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .271
A Ojeda 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
M Owings p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294

Totals 7 3 4 3 0 1 1

BATTING: HR - C Jackson (13, 1st inning off B Looper 2 on, 1 Out). RBI - C
Jackson 3 (51). Team LOB - 1.


----------------------------------------------------
ST LOUIS - 0 -- 0
ARIZONA - 3 -- 3
----------------------------------------------------

ST LOUIS ip h r er bb so hr era
B Looper 1 4 3 3 0 1 1 4.60

ARIZONA ip h r er bb so hr era
M Owings 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.71

Pitches-strikes: B Looper 26-17; M Owings 11-7. Ground balls-fly balls: B
Looper 0-2; M Owings 1-2. Batters faced: B Looper 7; M Owings 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Jim Wolf. 1B--Jerry Meals. 2B--Gary Darling. 3B--Larry Poncino.

Weather: 99 degrees, clear. Wind: 5 mph, in from center.</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
ST LOUIS 0 0 1 0
ARIZONA 3 3 4 0 (TOP 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: STL - BRADEN LOOPER
ARI - MICAH OWINGS

DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: C DUNCAN (.261, 21 HR, 70 RBI)
A MILES (.306, 1 HR, 26 RBI)
K STINNETT (.174, 1 HR, 4 RBI)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">ST LOUIS (0) VS ARIZONA (3) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS

ST LOUIS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Eckstein ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
R Ankiel rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .349
A Pujols 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .319
J Edmonds cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .245
C Duncan lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261
A Miles 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305
K Stinnett c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .170
B Looper p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .174
B Ryan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .341

Totals 7 0 1 0 0 0 1

BATTING: 2B - A Pujols (29, M Owings). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out
- J Edmonds 1. Team LOB - 1.


ARIZONA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
S Drew ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .230
C Young cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .239
E Byrnes lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .296
C Jackson 1b 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 .280
M Montero c 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .226
M Reynolds 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .271
J Salazar rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .271
A Ojeda 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235
M Owings p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294

Totals 7 3 4 3 0 1 1

BATTING: HR - C Jackson (13, 1st inning off B Looper 2 on, 1 Out). RBI - C
Jackson 3 (51). Team LOB - 1.


----------------------------------------------------
ST LOUIS - 00 -- 0
ARIZONA - 3 -- 3
----------------------------------------------------

ST LOUIS ip h r er bb so hr era
B Looper 1 4 3 3 0 1 1 4.60

ARIZONA ip h r er bb so hr era
M Owings 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.68

Pitches-strikes: B Looper 26-17; M Owings 26-16. Ground balls-fly balls: B
Looper 0-2; M Owings 4-2. Batters faced: B Looper 7; M Owings 7.

UMPIRES: HP--Jim Wolf. 1B--Jerry Meals. 2B--Gary Darling. 3B--Larry Poncino.

Weather: 99 degrees, clear. Wind: 5 mph, in from center.</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
ST LOUIS 0 0 0 1 0
ARIZONA 3 3 4 0 (BOT 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: STL - BRADEN LOOPER
ARI - MICAH OWINGS

DUE UP FOR ARIZONA: A OJEDA (.235, 1 HR, 7 RBI)
M OWINGS (.294, 4 HR, 12 RBI)
S DREW (.230, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">ST LOUIS (0) VS ARIZONA (3) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS

ST LOUIS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
D Eckstein ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
R Ankiel rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .349
A Pujols 1b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .319
J Edmonds cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .245
C Duncan lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261
A Miles 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .305
K Stinnett c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .170
B Looper p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .174
B Ryan 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .341

Totals 7 0 1 0 0 0 1

BATTING: 2B - A Pujols (29, M Owings). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out
- J Edmonds 1. Team LOB - 1.


ARIZONA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
S Drew ss 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .229
C Young cf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .239
E Byrnes lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .296
C Jackson 1b 1 1 1 3 0 0 0 .280
M Montero c 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .226
M Reynolds 3b 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .271
J Salazar rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .271
A Ojeda 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .232
M Owings p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .288

Totals 10 3 4 3 0 1 1

BATTING: HR - C Jackson (13, 1st inning off B Looper 2 on, 1 Out). RBI - C
Jackson 3 (51). Team LOB - 1.


----------------------------------------------------
ST LOUIS - 00 -- 0
ARIZONA - 30 -- 3
----------------------------------------------------

ST LOUIS ip h r er bb so hr era
B Looper 2 4 3 3 0 1 1 4.57

ARIZONA ip h r er bb so hr era
M Owings 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.68

Pitches-strikes: B Looper 43-29; M Owings 26-16. Ground balls-fly balls: B
Looper 1-4; M Owings 4-2. Batters faced: B Looper 10; M Owings 7.

UMPIRES: HP--Jim Wolf. 1B--Jerry Meals. 2B--Gary Darling. 3B--Larry Poncino.

Weather: 99 degrees, clear. Wind: 5 mph, in from center.</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
ST LOUIS 0 0 0 1 0
ARIZONA 3 0 3 4 0 (TOP 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: STL - BRADEN LOOPER
ARI - MICAH OWINGS

DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: B LOOPER (.174, 0 HR, 5 RBI)
B RYAN (.341, 4 HR, 10 RBI)
D ECKSTEIN (.297, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY ALBERT PUJOLS SCORED BRADEN LOOPER AND RICK
ANKIEL.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A PUJOLS ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 2
ARIZONA 3 TOP, 3RD

DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: J EDMONDS (.245, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY MICAH OWINGS ALLOWED ALBERT PUJOLS TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, C DUNCAN ON FIRST, J EDMONDS ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 3
ARIZONA 3 TOP, 3RD

DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: A MILES (.305, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY AARON MILES (2) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 3RD OFF MICAH OWINGS SCORED JIM EDMONDS AND CHRIS DUNCAN.
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 6, ARIZONA 3

DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: K STINNETT (.170, 0-FOR-1)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA - MID INNING UPDATE
PLAY: J Peguero relieved M Owings.
SITUATION: 6 RUNS IN, K STINNETT ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 6
ARIZONA 3 TOP, 3RD

DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: B Looper (.174, 0-FOR-0)</div>

 

NL: ST LOUIS at ARIZONA

<div class="pre">NL AT ARIZONA - PITCHING CHANGE
ARI: JAILEN PEGUERO (0-0, 7.84) IN THE 3RD
SITUATION: 6 RUNS IN, K STINNETT ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: ST LOUIS 6, ARIZONA 3

DUE UP FOR STLOUIS: B LOOPER (.174, 0 HR, 5 RBI)</div>