What a win! And it couldn’t have come at a better time. (Now, if only those rascally Astros would take a lump or two.)

Last night’s Cardinals lineup was the best we’ve sported in weeks… and it got a notch better when we brought Bennett in. I hope Tony throws out something similar tonight. (Read: Please keep Encarnacion on the bench and Miles & Belliard on the field. Unless, of course, X is ready to go.)

Of course, Alberts big hit was a saving grace, but I dare say the two men on base in front of him were the biggest factors. Without them waiting for their ticket home, Albert swats a solo homer and we’re but tied. As it was, however, we took the lead and held on for dear life. Well, friends, our life raft is mercifully still afloat.

I don’t mean to look outside our circle for help– after all, we can only ever hope to control our own actions– but it would really be nice if the Braves went on a winning spree right about now. I tell you what, the situation surrounding the several scenarios of a two- or three-way tie are just plain crummy. It would really behoove our playoff progress if we didn’t have to play through Wednesday (in the case of a three-way tie) or use Carpenter in any capacity before heading into the pennant race (which would happen if our regular season goes any further than Sunday). A couple more wins on our part and a handful of loses for Houston would really do a body good.

So, on that note: Tonight’s a good night to hit the field with your A-game, Jason. Let’s see some life in those Cardinals bats. And GO BRAVES!

ppffffttt!

That’s pretty much all I have to say about tonight’s game and, well, for this series against the Astros in general.

All except for one question: Wasn’t there a time when a batter had to make an effort to get out of the way of a ball in order to be granted first base on a hit-by-pitch? At least, say, turn his back on the pitch? Burke was attempting to check his swing when he got plunked on his back elbow by Marquis in the first inning– meaning he was coming into the pitch, not moving away from it. Stuff like that is irritating… particularly when it loads the bases.

Thanks to the fellas for making a game of it. One of these days we’ll figure out how to finish one off in our favor. I dare say (or at least hope) that we may be down, but we aren’t out.

Weaver vs. Clemens, eh? It seems, this go ’round, the starters are really the least of our worries. So indulge me as I try to put a little mojo on the mound for Kinney, Johnson, Wainwright, Flores, Looper, Johnson & Sosa.

Any win will do. Go Cards!

Have added several new Vocabulary Terms to the sidebar list to start making up for my multi-week absence. Enjoy!

Losing Isringhausen for the seasson didn’t (and still doesn’t) concern me. But our choice of replacement does. Nothing against Looper or Wainwright– I’m a big fan of both those guys. But I’d love to see Jorge Sosa taking the closing role. He throws a solid 90+mph with options. We haven’t shown him off too much so I don’t think too many teams have gotten a good look at him yet, either. I think he’s capable of coming in and hammering the nails in a losing team’s coffin. And, on the other side of that coin– as has been evidenced the last few nights– we really need the reliable arms of Braden and Adam earlier in the game.

Tony, if you’re out there reading, I hope you’ll give this setup a try. After all, at the rate we’re going, it couldn’t hurt and, who knows, it just might help.

Go get ‘em tomorrow, Birds!

P.S. Welcome back to David Eckstein. A homerun to start off the game?! What a return, indeed. And, wishing Jason Marquis a quick recovery.

P.P.S. Ronnie Belliard has been my favorite acquisition of the season. Everyday he does something to prove his worth and earn his wings as a Cardinal. I love the way he plays and can certainly appreciate his bat. Go, Ronnie, go!

I love it that even when we lose, we win.

Only five more "wins" (or Cincinnati losses) and it’s "Hello, Post-Season!" for the Cardinals once again.

(Although, I must say, I find it a little awkward to acknowledge that other teams are clinching their divisions before us. After two landslide seasons in a row this late-to-blossom routine seems a little out of step.)

Wish we could have gotten Supe this much-deserved win, but I expect Carp will do us the honors tomorrow.

Go Cardinals!

12-2, no doubt about it. One down and six to go.

This was a great way to come back from last night’s heartbreaker. Thank you, thank you, thank you Ronnie Belliard. (And I love to see Weaver settling in to his own and being a force to be reckoned with.) There’s nothing like a steamrolling win to have the opposition hanging their heads and looking for shelter. I say we just keep pounding ‘em.

Let’s keep the momentum rolling into the post season. Yes, Jason Marquis, I’m talking to you.

Go Cards!

In the end, last night’s game was a heartbreaker. But, really, who didn’t figure that Graffanino was going to get a hold of one? He had seen WAY too many pitches. C’est la vie.

I’m just glad that neither starter took the win or the loss. They both battled so well against each other. (Though I hated to see Loop take the L, of course.)

As for Alberts dinger… Despite what the MLB.com article says, his three-run shot wasn’t wasted. Without it there wouldn’t have been a bottom of the ninth. Well, I don’t know about you, but I prefer to play a full nine knowing that the game may go into extras, which is exactly what the situation was last night thanks to Albert’s homerun.

Hopefully tonight we’ll have better luck getting our runners around the bases. Going into the ninth yesterday I think we were something like 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. (That one being Albert’s laser over the left field fence.)

And, speaking of hitting, despite what his numbers might say about his performance last night, Rolen is hitting the ball so well right now. He was tatooing shots yesterday. Sadly, they were all on ropes right at fielders. But, boy, I love the way he’s knockin’ ‘em around right now. Keep it up, kid.

OK, so now we have 13 games to ring up our last eight wins for the NLC clinch. Let the games begin!

Go Birds!

Finally! We just wrapped our movie on Friday and I can finally get my game face back on. Those last two or three weeks of work were really cramping my style. Not only were the days long and ill-timed but we also went out on the road for the last few days. For the most part, I was only able to pick up bits and pieces of our Red Bird Adventures. (Although, I did get to watch the bottom of the ninth inning of our comeback win over the Astros. What an awesome effort and exciting way to win. Plus it allowed us to continue our series dominance and it reinforced Brad Lidge’s Cardinalphobia… all of which make me giggle with glee.)

Of course, just as I was finally ready to settle into the post-season push, our game got rained out. But that’s OK. (Truth be known, I was still suffering from several night’s worth of wrap parties and needed the extra rest.) Today I’m up and raring to go.

We’ve got 14 games to get our eight wins needed to clinch. I’m all in favor of getting most of that out of the way while we’re on this road trip. First the Brewers then the hard-luck ‘Stros. (As long as we never face Roy Oswalt and they continue to put Lidge on the mound in the ninth, I’d say our chances are pretty good.)

Thanks to this last movie, my house is a wreck. I’ve got piles of paperwork, bags & clothes everywhere. But all that will have to wait until sometime late in October. I can’t be trifled by such petty things… there’s a very important pennant race to attend to.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready for tonight’s game.

Go Cardinals!

Let’s go get ‘em tomorrow.

Come on Jason!

I really really want Marquis to pitch well tomorrow. I put a lot of stock in his performances and feel that tomorrow’s outing can be a turning point for us if he fares well. He’s got it in him and I’m really pulling for him.

Now, I realize that I have more faith in him than some the other folks who blog here, but I can’t help get a good feeling knowing that he’s taking the mound tomorrow. Every time it’s his turn to pitch I see our glass half full. In my mind, he’s more capable of pulling out a win than most of our other options. And I always look forward to his outings because, despite his random implosions, I know there’s a shutout or a complete game or a no-no lurking in that arm somewhere and I always love the battle he brings to the field in search of that promised land.

Granted, this time around there are a few factors brewing that will either act as catalysts or deterants:

1. Jason’s birthday was Monday. He turned 28.

2. He and his wife welcomed their second child into the world on Monday– which, you’ll note, was also his birthday.

3. He’s on his home turf. There will be family and friends crammed into every nook and cranny.

I hope Jason embraces these external influences and finds a way to garner strength from them and then molds them into a much-needed win for the Cardinals. At a time when our pitching staff is our weakest link, I’d love for him to bear down and burn down batters like matchsticks… in honor of his brand new son, maybe.

So join with me in having faith in Marquis and hopefully he’ll give us reason to believe. (After all, the good mojo can only help matters.) Besides, I could really use something to cheer about. And it may as well be a victory at the hands of Jason Marquis.

P.S. Thank goodness Cinci lost today. We’re still one game up.