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att Morris will try to keep the good feelings going for the Cardinals when he takes the mound against the Marlins at Dolphins Stadium on Tuesday night. St. Louis has won three straight games by a combined score of 18-1, and is 6-2 thus far on its season-long 13-game road trip.
Morris has won back-to-back starts and will be trying to become the third 15-game winner on the Cardinals' staff. It would be the fourth time in the last five years that the right-hander reached that marker. After a bit of a funk right after the All-Star break, Morris has come back strong, allowing four runs in 13 innings over his last two starts.
Ismael Valdez will take the mound for the home team, trying to keep Florida in the thick of the Wild Card race. Valdez has been more effective in relief than as a starter this year, though he's coming off a nice outing against Milwaukee. The Marlins have dropped three of their four meetings with the Cards this year.
St. Louis has narrowed its magic number for clinching the National League Central to 17, and holds a commanding 15-game lead over the second-place Astros.
Pitching matchup:
STL: RHP Matt Morris
• 14-5, 3.74 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 5.14 ERA vs. FLA in 2005
FLA: RHP Ismael Valdez
• 1-1, 4.00 ERA in 2005
• Has not faced STL in 2004 or 2005
Player to watch
Larry Walker has seen a lot of Valdez, and he's liked what he's seen. Walker is 11-for-28 (.393) against the former Dodger with three home runs and four doubles for an .857 slugging percentage.
Quotable
"I don't hear anybody talking about who's in first or how far in first we're ahead. I don't hear anybody talking about how many games left before we clinch. I don't hear anybody talking about it. I hear guys talking about continuing to go out every night and play the way we've been playing. I think it was the same way [last year]. Guys don't look at it, and that's the reason why we've been consistent." -- Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• STL: FSN Midwest
• FLA: FSN Florida
On radio
• STL: KMOX 1120
• FLA: WQAM 560, WQBA 1140 (Español)
Quick hits
David Eckstein is 16-for-35 (.457) on this road trip with six extra-base hits, eight RBIs and eight runs scored. ... Albert Pujols is hitting .185 (5-for-27) with runners in scoring position in August. ... Since the start of July, Jim Edmonds has 43 walks and 39 base hits. ... Tuesday night will be Morris' 200th career big league start. ... Abraham Nunez is hitting .335 on the road.
Morris has won back-to-back starts and will be trying to become the third 15-game winner on the Cardinals' staff. It would be the fourth time in the last five years that the right-hander reached that marker. After a bit of a funk right after the All-Star break, Morris has come back strong, allowing four runs in 13 innings over his last two starts.
Ismael Valdez will take the mound for the home team, trying to keep Florida in the thick of the Wild Card race. Valdez has been more effective in relief than as a starter this year, though he's coming off a nice outing against Milwaukee. The Marlins have dropped three of their four meetings with the Cards this year.
St. Louis has narrowed its magic number for clinching the National League Central to 17, and holds a commanding 15-game lead over the second-place Astros.
Pitching matchup:
STL: RHP Matt Morris
• 14-5, 3.74 ERA in 2005
• 1-0, 5.14 ERA vs. FLA in 2005
FLA: RHP Ismael Valdez
• 1-1, 4.00 ERA in 2005
• Has not faced STL in 2004 or 2005
Player to watch
Larry Walker has seen a lot of Valdez, and he's liked what he's seen. Walker is 11-for-28 (.393) against the former Dodger with three home runs and four doubles for an .857 slugging percentage.
Quotable
"I don't hear anybody talking about who's in first or how far in first we're ahead. I don't hear anybody talking about how many games left before we clinch. I don't hear anybody talking about it. I hear guys talking about continuing to go out every night and play the way we've been playing. I think it was the same way [last year]. Guys don't look at it, and that's the reason why we've been consistent." -- Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes
On television
• STL: FSN Midwest
• FLA: FSN Florida
On radio
• STL: KMOX 1120
• FLA: WQAM 560, WQBA 1140 (Español)
Quick hits
David Eckstein is 16-for-35 (.457) on this road trip with six extra-base hits, eight RBIs and eight runs scored. ... Albert Pujols is hitting .185 (5-for-27) with runners in scoring position in August. ... Since the start of July, Jim Edmonds has 43 walks and 39 base hits. ... Tuesday night will be Morris' 200th career big league start. ... Abraham Nunez is hitting .335 on the road.
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