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Scouting Report:
Cardinals: Lohse looked more like himself last time out, breaking a rough stretch in which he allowed 19 runs in three starts. He should be feeling fresh, with an extra day of rest following a start in which he threw only 78 pitches. Lohse was knocked around in his only previous start at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers: Brad Penny's last start was pushed back a day because of tightness in his arm during a bullpen session. When he did take the mound, it turned into his third consecutive disappointing performance. He allowed five runs (20 in last three starts) and it took two innings before his velocity reached the mid-90s. On the other hand, he grinded out six innings to save the bullpen and the Dodgers came back to win the game. He already has as many losses as he did all last season.
Cardinals: Lohse looked more like himself last time out, breaking a rough stretch in which he allowed 19 runs in three starts. He should be feeling fresh, with an extra day of rest following a start in which he threw only 78 pitches. Lohse was knocked around in his only previous start at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers: Brad Penny's last start was pushed back a day because of tightness in his arm during a bullpen session. When he did take the mound, it turned into his third consecutive disappointing performance. He allowed five runs (20 in last three starts) and it took two innings before his velocity reached the mid-90s. On the other hand, he grinded out six innings to save the bullpen and the Dodgers came back to win the game. He already has as many losses as he did all last season.
Cardinals-Dodgers Preview
By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA
STATS Senior Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 1:37 a.m. CT, Sat., May. 24, 2008
Brad Penny is one of the best pitchers in the major leagues at keeping the ball in the park. But the Los Angeles Dodgers ace is struggling, and Ryan Ludwick has been opportunistic.
After leading St. Louis to a win with yet another home run, Ludwick will try to help the Cardinals take advantage of a matchup with Penny and the Dodgers when the teams meet in the middle game of their series Saturday night.
Penny (5-4, 5.34 ERA), who has already matched his loss total from last season, is 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA and a .394 opponents batting average in his last three starts for Los Angeles (25-22).
The veteran right-hander has surrendered four home runs in his last five starts, spanning 28 2-3 innings. That's uncharacteristic for Penny, who is seventh in the majors among starters from 2004-08 with 0.71 homers surrendered per nine innings.
In his last outing, he gave up five runs and nine hits in six innings as Los Angeles beat Cincinnati 6-5 on Monday night.
Penny is 2-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 11 starts against the Cardinals (29-21), surrendering just four home runs in 65 2-3 innings. But Penny will be facing a St. Louis team that has won five of six, homering 10 times during that stretch.
Five of those homers have been hit by Ludwick, who connected for a two-run shot to lead the Cardinals to a 2-1 win over the Dodgers on Friday night.
It was the right fielder's 13th homer, and his ninth in his last 15 games. Ludwick is one home run shy of matching his career high, set in 303 at-bats last season. He also went 3-for-4, raising his average to a team-best .348.
Ludwick, who has never faced Penny, has helped St. Louis bounce back from a 2-8 stretch.
Outstanding pitching has also helped St. Louis get back in the hunt. The Cardinals have a 2.31 ERA in their last four games, striking out 30 in 35 innings while holding opponents to a .214 batting average.
Kyle Lohse (3-2, 4.71) will take the mound for St. Louis on Saturday. The right-hander is coming off his best start this month, allowing three runs - two earned - and eight hits in six innings in St. Louis' 5-4 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Lohse is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in one start and two relief appearances all-time against the Dodgers. He'll be facing a Los Angeles team that went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the series opener.
The Dodgers entered the series having won six of their last eight, but they lost the first game Los Angeles' Joe Torre and St. Louis' Tony La Russa managed against each other in the same league during the regular season.
"For the longest time, he's been the measuring stick for a lot of managers," Torre said. "We both want to win very badly."
Torre and La Russa are No. 1 and No. 3 on the postseason wins list with 76 and 59, respectively. La Russa is first in wins during the regular season among current managers (2,404) and Torre is third (2,092).
"The managers don't really compete. The teams do," La Russa said. "But I look at his success, and whatever he's doing, he's doing a lot of good things."
By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA
STATS Senior Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 1:37 a.m. CT, Sat., May. 24, 2008
Brad Penny is one of the best pitchers in the major leagues at keeping the ball in the park. But the Los Angeles Dodgers ace is struggling, and Ryan Ludwick has been opportunistic.
After leading St. Louis to a win with yet another home run, Ludwick will try to help the Cardinals take advantage of a matchup with Penny and the Dodgers when the teams meet in the middle game of their series Saturday night.
Penny (5-4, 5.34 ERA), who has already matched his loss total from last season, is 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA and a .394 opponents batting average in his last three starts for Los Angeles (25-22).
The veteran right-hander has surrendered four home runs in his last five starts, spanning 28 2-3 innings. That's uncharacteristic for Penny, who is seventh in the majors among starters from 2004-08 with 0.71 homers surrendered per nine innings.
In his last outing, he gave up five runs and nine hits in six innings as Los Angeles beat Cincinnati 6-5 on Monday night.
Penny is 2-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 11 starts against the Cardinals (29-21), surrendering just four home runs in 65 2-3 innings. But Penny will be facing a St. Louis team that has won five of six, homering 10 times during that stretch.
Five of those homers have been hit by Ludwick, who connected for a two-run shot to lead the Cardinals to a 2-1 win over the Dodgers on Friday night.
It was the right fielder's 13th homer, and his ninth in his last 15 games. Ludwick is one home run shy of matching his career high, set in 303 at-bats last season. He also went 3-for-4, raising his average to a team-best .348.
Ludwick, who has never faced Penny, has helped St. Louis bounce back from a 2-8 stretch.
Outstanding pitching has also helped St. Louis get back in the hunt. The Cardinals have a 2.31 ERA in their last four games, striking out 30 in 35 innings while holding opponents to a .214 batting average.
Kyle Lohse (3-2, 4.71) will take the mound for St. Louis on Saturday. The right-hander is coming off his best start this month, allowing three runs - two earned - and eight hits in six innings in St. Louis' 5-4 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Lohse is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in one start and two relief appearances all-time against the Dodgers. He'll be facing a Los Angeles team that went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the series opener.
The Dodgers entered the series having won six of their last eight, but they lost the first game Los Angeles' Joe Torre and St. Louis' Tony La Russa managed against each other in the same league during the regular season.
"For the longest time, he's been the measuring stick for a lot of managers," Torre said. "We both want to win very badly."
Torre and La Russa are No. 1 and No. 3 on the postseason wins list with 76 and 59, respectively. La Russa is first in wins during the regular season among current managers (2,404) and Torre is third (2,092).
"The managers don't really compete. The teams do," La Russa said. "But I look at his success, and whatever he's doing, he's doing a lot of good things."
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