Double - no, triple - the fun for Pujols
With Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano looking like someone trying to pick up a live chicken after Albert Pujols seared a Rich Harden pitch into the left-field corner, the reigning National League MVP raced to third base.
By the time Soriano picked up the ball and threw late and wide to third, Pujols had his league-leading 53rd extra-base hit - but first triple. Before the third-inning screamer, the Cardinals first baseman hadn't tripled since 2007.
"When I hit it, I was thinking all the way that it was a double," Pujols said. "But I saw him bobble it once and then I had a pretty good opportunity to keep going."
Pujols doesn't need any help on the baseball field, but the Cubs obliged in an 8-3 loss Friday. Even Wrigley Field proved generous, as the basket above the 400-foot sign in center field caught Pujols' league-leading 32nd homer (54th extra-base hit) in the fifth.
On a wind-blowing-out day, Pujols and the Cubs' own star first baseman, Derrek Lee, had the game's only home runs.
"When you play against a good club like Chicago, you need to score as many runs as you can," Pujols said. "Obviously it wasn't a pitcher's park today. The wind was blowing out and you had two great pitchers (Harden and Chris Carpenter) out there. We just took advantage of the mistakes Harden made."
Harden had another rough outing, lasting only 5 innings and allowing 4 runs and 7 hits. After going 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA in 12 starts for the Cubs last year, Harden heads into the all-star break with a 5-6 mark and 5.47 ERA.
"I've only faced him a couple of times, but he still throws that split or that changeup and it's got good bite to it," said Ryan Ludwick, who went 3-for-3 (2-for-2 against Harden) with 4 RBI and a walk. "You really got to lock in against him because he's got good stuff. He's got electric stuff at times. You know when you face him it's going to be a battle."
Lee provided the only runs for the Cubs with a 3-run opposite-field shot to right off Carpenter in the third, tying the game at 3-3.
"Derrek Lee has just been on fire," Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa said. "He got a pitch to hit and didn't miss it."
Lee's recent tear - 6 homers in his last nine games - factored into LaRussa's decision to bring all-star closer Ryan Franklin into the game in a non-save situation with two on and two out in the ninth.
Franklin, who hadn't pitched since Tuesday, needed just 2 pitches to retire Kosuke Fukudome on a comebacker.
LaRussa shot down a reporter's suggestion that he called on Franklin to get him work.
"Hit rewind," said LaRussa, referring to what he said about Lee. "How many guys on base? Two. It's (potentially) 8-4, 8-5. It wasn't about (getting Franklin) work. It was about respect to what they got coming to bat. One more guy gets on base and then you got Derrek Lee, then you got (Aramis) Ramirez, Soriano.
"No. You're just trying to end the game with a victory."