Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals mlb live streaming gamecast feed online broadcast streamed Espn quality 6/4, 2011 Albert Pujols says he's not feeling completely comfortable in the batter's box, but may finally be shaking off any early-season struggles for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Chris Carpenter hasn't experienced any such issues when facing the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pujols looks to continue producing and Carpenter seeks his 11th straight win over Pittsburgh in the finale of a three-game set Wednesday.
1:45 PM ET, April 6, 2011
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
Todays Match Lineups
NO. Pittsburgh St. Louis
1. J. Tabata, LF R. Theriot, SS
2. N. Walker, 2B C. Rasmus, CF
3. A. McCutchen, CF A. Pujols, 1B
4. L. Overbay, 1B L. Berkman, RF
5. P. Alvarez, 3B A. Craig, LF
6. R. Doumit, C S. Schumaker, 2B
7. G. Jones, RF Y. Molina, C
8. J. Rodriguez, SS D. Descalso, 3B
9. K. Correia, P C. Carpenter, P
Albert Pujols says he's not feeling completely comfortable in the batter's box, but may finally be shaking off any early-season struggles for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Chris Carpenter hasn't experienced any such issues when facing the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pujols looks to continue producing and Carpenter seeks his 11th straight win over Pittsburgh in the finale of a three-game set Wednesday.
With negotiations on a new contract off the table for now, Pujols hasn't looked much like a three-time NL MVP and one of the majors' top sluggers so far in 2011. Coming into Tuesday's matchup, Pujols was 2 for 16 with a homer and an RBI.
However, he had a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and bounced a go-ahead single to left field in the seventh, helping rally the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory.
"There's no panic, man," Pujols said. "I think the main thing people kind of take for granted is everybody expects me to go deep every day or get three hits. I'm out there doing everything I can even though I don't feel good at the plate."
For St. Louis (2-3) to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, it will need Pujols to find his comfort level while Matt Holliday continues to recover from an appendectomy.
Another solid outing from Carpenter wouldn't hurt.
After splitting his first two career starts against the Pirates in 2004, Carpenter has gone 10-0 with a 1.85 ERA in 13 starts versus them. Though St. Louis beat Pittsburgh twice with the right-hander on the mound last year, it also marked the first time Carpenter failed to get a decision against them in any season during his incredible stretch.
Carpenter surrendered two runs, 13 hits and struck out 14 over 15 innings in the two outings. The Cardinals, meanwhile, provided him with three total runs of support en route to the victories.
The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner pitched very well in his season debut Thursday, but again didn't come away with a decision. He allowed two runs and two hits over seven innings in the Cardinals' 5-3, 11-inning loss to San Diego.
Lyle Overbay's two-run homer in the first inning Tuesday accounted for all Pittsburgh's runs. He is 5 for 12 with three career doubles against Carpenter.
Overbay and Andrew McCutchen had two hits apiece as the Pirates combined to strike out 11 times.
"We're kind of doubting our game plan a little bit," Overbay said. "It's just a matter of making sure we're swinging at our pitches, dictating the at-bat, not letting the pitcher dictate what they want us to swing at."
Kevin Correia will take the mound, looking to build off a successful debut with Pittsburgh (3-2).
In Friday's season opener, the right-hander held the Cubs to three runs and seven hits -- all singles -- over six innings as the Pirates posted a 6-3 win in cold and wet Chicago.
Correia, who totaled 22 wins over the previous two seasons with San Diego, lost his only career start at old Busch Stadium in 2005 while with San Francisco. Overall, he has a 3.86 ERA over five career appearances in St. Louis.
Pujols has a double and three singles in 12 at-bats against Correia.
Chris Carpenter hasn't experienced any such issues when facing the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pujols looks to continue producing and Carpenter seeks his 11th straight win over Pittsburgh in the finale of a three-game set Wednesday.
1:45 PM ET, April 6, 2011
Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
Todays Match Lineups
NO. Pittsburgh St. Louis
1. J. Tabata, LF R. Theriot, SS
2. N. Walker, 2B C. Rasmus, CF
3. A. McCutchen, CF A. Pujols, 1B
4. L. Overbay, 1B L. Berkman, RF
5. P. Alvarez, 3B A. Craig, LF
6. R. Doumit, C S. Schumaker, 2B
7. G. Jones, RF Y. Molina, C
8. J. Rodriguez, SS D. Descalso, 3B
9. K. Correia, P C. Carpenter, P
Chris Carpenter hasn't experienced any such issues when facing the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Pujols looks to continue producing and Carpenter seeks his 11th straight win over Pittsburgh in the finale of a three-game set Wednesday.
With negotiations on a new contract off the table for now, Pujols hasn't looked much like a three-time NL MVP and one of the majors' top sluggers so far in 2011. Coming into Tuesday's matchup, Pujols was 2 for 16 with a homer and an RBI.
However, he had a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning and bounced a go-ahead single to left field in the seventh, helping rally the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory.
"There's no panic, man," Pujols said. "I think the main thing people kind of take for granted is everybody expects me to go deep every day or get three hits. I'm out there doing everything I can even though I don't feel good at the plate."
For St. Louis (2-3) to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, it will need Pujols to find his comfort level while Matt Holliday continues to recover from an appendectomy.
Another solid outing from Carpenter wouldn't hurt.
After splitting his first two career starts against the Pirates in 2004, Carpenter has gone 10-0 with a 1.85 ERA in 13 starts versus them. Though St. Louis beat Pittsburgh twice with the right-hander on the mound last year, it also marked the first time Carpenter failed to get a decision against them in any season during his incredible stretch.
Carpenter surrendered two runs, 13 hits and struck out 14 over 15 innings in the two outings. The Cardinals, meanwhile, provided him with three total runs of support en route to the victories.
The 2005 NL Cy Young Award winner pitched very well in his season debut Thursday, but again didn't come away with a decision. He allowed two runs and two hits over seven innings in the Cardinals' 5-3, 11-inning loss to San Diego.
Lyle Overbay's two-run homer in the first inning Tuesday accounted for all Pittsburgh's runs. He is 5 for 12 with three career doubles against Carpenter.
Overbay and Andrew McCutchen had two hits apiece as the Pirates combined to strike out 11 times.
"We're kind of doubting our game plan a little bit," Overbay said. "It's just a matter of making sure we're swinging at our pitches, dictating the at-bat, not letting the pitcher dictate what they want us to swing at."
Kevin Correia will take the mound, looking to build off a successful debut with Pittsburgh (3-2).
In Friday's season opener, the right-hander held the Cubs to three runs and seven hits -- all singles -- over six innings as the Pirates posted a 6-3 win in cold and wet Chicago.
Correia, who totaled 22 wins over the previous two seasons with San Diego, lost his only career start at old Busch Stadium in 2005 while with San Francisco. Overall, he has a 3.86 ERA over five career appearances in St. Louis.
Pujols has a double and three singles in 12 at-bats against Correia.
