Cardinals call up Walters

The St. Louis Cardinals have called up right-hander P.J. Walters to help fill a hole left in the rotation when Chris Carpenter went on the disabled list.

Walters will start Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs.

Carpenter is out for up to two months with a torn oblique muscle.

The 24-year-old Walters impressed Cardinals manager Tony La Russa during spring training and pitched seven shutout innings in his one minor league start for Triple-A Memphis this season.

He began the 2008 season in Double-A before getting promoted to Memphis, where he went 9-4 with a 4.87 ERA.

The Cardinals optioned right-hander Josh Kinney to Memphis to make room on the 25-man roster for Walters.