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What the hell, they're in my town this weekend, time to break my GDT cherry.
A national television audience will see plenty of red on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals and Nationals meet at RFK Stadium in the second game of a three-game series as St. Louis tries to close in further on a division title and Washington tries to stay in the Wild Card hunt.
The Cards will send Mark Mulder to the mound, and the lefty will be trying to keep one streak going and end one less pleasant trend. The Cardinals have won 10 of Mulder's last 11 starts, as he's racked up innings and ground balls. But Mulder has had a hard time in the daylight, going 1-5 with a 7.57 ERA in day games this year. In day games on the road, it's even worse -- he's 0-3 with an 11.63 ERA.
His opponent will be left-hander Matt White, who will be making the first start of his big league career. White, who just turned 28, made three appearances each for Seattle and Boston in 2003, but he hasn't pitched in the Majors since.
Saturday's game could mark the return to active duty of Mark Grudzielanek, who has missed nearly a week with an infection in his left knee.
Pitching matchup
STL: LHP Mark Mulder
• 15-6, 3.74 ERA in 2005
• Did not face WSH in 2004
WSH: LHP Matt White
• First appearance in 2005
• Has never faced STL
Player to watch
The only Cardinal who has faced White is David Eckstein, and the shortstop liked what he saw. In Eckstein's only at-bat against the hurler, he hit one of his 22 career big league home runs.
Quotable
"It says 410 [feet] to center, and I'm calling [bull] on that. It just looks farther. It is a large outfield. You try to play the gaps a little more, try to take away the extra-base hits. You've got to crush it pretty good." -- Larry Walker, on RFK Stadium
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• STL: FOX
• WSH: FOX
On radio
• STL: KMOX 1120 AM
• WSH: WFED 1050 AM
Quick hits
Albert Pujols is 5-for-25 (.200) with runners in scoring position in August. ... Mulder, who entered this year 1-for-22 (.045) lifetime at the plate, has eight hits in his first year in the NL. ... Mulder has at least 15 wins in five straight seasons. ... Grudzielanek is hitting .339 against left-handers on the road. ... Abraham Nunez is batting .239 and has an on-base percentage of .295 in August.
The Cards will send Mark Mulder to the mound, and the lefty will be trying to keep one streak going and end one less pleasant trend. The Cardinals have won 10 of Mulder's last 11 starts, as he's racked up innings and ground balls. But Mulder has had a hard time in the daylight, going 1-5 with a 7.57 ERA in day games this year. In day games on the road, it's even worse -- he's 0-3 with an 11.63 ERA.
His opponent will be left-hander Matt White, who will be making the first start of his big league career. White, who just turned 28, made three appearances each for Seattle and Boston in 2003, but he hasn't pitched in the Majors since.
Saturday's game could mark the return to active duty of Mark Grudzielanek, who has missed nearly a week with an infection in his left knee.
Pitching matchup
STL: LHP Mark Mulder
• 15-6, 3.74 ERA in 2005
• Did not face WSH in 2004
WSH: LHP Matt White
• First appearance in 2005
• Has never faced STL
Player to watch
The only Cardinal who has faced White is David Eckstein, and the shortstop liked what he saw. In Eckstein's only at-bat against the hurler, he hit one of his 22 career big league home runs.
Quotable
"It says 410 [feet] to center, and I'm calling [bull] on that. It just looks farther. It is a large outfield. You try to play the gaps a little more, try to take away the extra-base hits. You've got to crush it pretty good." -- Larry Walker, on RFK Stadium
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• STL: FOX
• WSH: FOX
On radio
• STL: KMOX 1120 AM
• WSH: WFED 1050 AM
Quick hits
Albert Pujols is 5-for-25 (.200) with runners in scoring position in August. ... Mulder, who entered this year 1-for-22 (.045) lifetime at the plate, has eight hits in his first year in the NL. ... Mulder has at least 15 wins in five straight seasons. ... Grudzielanek is hitting .339 against left-handers on the road. ... Abraham Nunez is batting .239 and has an on-base percentage of .295 in August.
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