Boxscore

Albert Pujols somehow turned a typical ground-out into the go-ahead run for the Cardinals (21-12). Pujols was on second base when Rick Ankiel hit a ground-ball to second. I don’t know if it’s Tony LaRussa or Pujols who’s prescient, but by the time the Rockies (12-20) second baseman fielded the ball, Pujols was at third. He scored in a very close play at home.

That gave the vulture win to Randy Flores (1-0), who had earlier blown a Cardinals lead, and Jason Isringhausen (S 11) got the save. Brian Fuentes (0-2) got the loss.

Thanks to the Cubs loss, the Cardinals now have a 2.5 game lead in first. This game further illustrates my confusion about the Cardinals. Overall, they don’t look like a good team to me, yet they keep winning. And was the win today an example of a team being incredibly lucky with everything bouncing their way? Or the mark of a team that has everything together and one that could win the pennant? This month should shed some light on that, as the Cardinals play more road games.

The Cardinals go for the win tonight, sending out Braden Looper to face Mark Redman at 8:35pm EDT.

Boxscore

The Reds (13-20) celebrated Cinco de Mayo by scoring 5 runs and ending their 5-game losing streak. Thanks to the Cubs (18-14) and their recent ineffectiveness. It’s one thing to lose to the Cardinals, but I think it’s something entirely different to lose to this Reds team.

Johnny Cueto (2-3) bounced back nicely from his previous terrible start, going 6 innings, striking out 8 and allowing 3 runs. His opponent, Ryan Dempster (4-1) didn’t do nearly as well. Actually, that’s not entirely true. Dempster worked 6 scoreless innings, but thanks to some shoddy defense, allowed 5 unearned runs for the loss.

David Weathers returned from the disabled list and was effective as the 8th-inning set-up man. And Francisco Cordero (S 5) remains perfect in save opportunities, although I’ll never know how he didn’t allow any runs with the Jason Isringhausen shenanigans he was pulling in the ninth.

Regardless, a win is the win, and the Reds desperately needed one. The Reds have a chance to make it two in a row and to make the Cubs worry a bit more tonight when they send Aaron Harang out against Carlos Zambrano at 7:10pm EDT.

Boxscore

I imagine you’ll want the bad news first. Well, the Reds (12-20) lost their 5th in a row, having their score doubled by the Braves (15-15) despite having seven runners cross the board.

The good news? I lied. There wasn’t any good news. Such is the sad state of the 2008 Cincinnati Reds.

Bronson Arroyo (1-4) failed to follow up his first good start of the year, instead turning in the shortest of his career. It was painful. Tom Glavine was pretty awful, too, failing to keep the giant lead for his team. Royce Ring (1-0), a second-rate Silver Age superhero name if I ever I heard one, got the win.

The Reds play has been so bad that I don’t even find the usual bitter rantings of Marty on the radio to be annoying or even inaccurate. When he said this after the home run that knocked Arroyo out of the game, “They may never win another game,” I nodded my head in agreement.

Sure the team’s underperforming, but the Reds are a bad team with a bad bench, inconsistent starting pitching, and a non-existent offense. The silver lining might be the fact that the bullpen’s better than last year. So far.

The Reds host the Cubs tonight at 7:10pm EDT. Ryan Dempster pitches against Johnny Cueto.

Boxscore

Zach Duke actually pitched well for the Pirates (11-17) and his pitch count wasn’t even murderously high. But the rest of the team didn’t bring enough to beat the Nationals (12-17) and a struggling Austin Kearns.

Kearns drove in the go-ahead run in the 8th off of John Grabow (1-1), raising his batting average to .194 on the season. (Yes, I said raising.) Luis Ayala (1-1) got the win and Jon Rauch (S 6) got the save.

Pittsburgh’s offense was a no-show, though. The two runs were provided by solo-shots from Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Doumit. And only two runners were left on base. Although it didn’t lead to a victory, the players should rest comfortably knowing that somewhere, Dusty Baker is smiling.

Phil Dumatrait pitches for the Pirates tonight, hoping an offense shows up behind him because he’s likely to need it. He faces John Lannan at 7:35pm EDT.

Boxscore

Remember in the middle of April when Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman erupted at Cubs fans who threw more than a dozen balls onto the field for no reason? Lots of Cubs fans took his comments very personally, getting quite offended and protesting Marty’s characterization. Well, all except a few who didn’t get the memo about the need to clean up their image during yesterday’s game.

In the bottom of the sixth on a ball hit to Ryan Braun in left field, Cubs’ “fans” threw food and drinks in Braun’s direction while he was making a throw into the infield. Typical Wrigley Field drunks, I guess. You are a classless bunch with no respect for the game or players.

It only got better from there, as the Cubs (17-11) sent out “closer” Kerry Wood (2-1) to finish the game and get Carlos Zambrano the win. Unfortunately, Wood blew his third save in seven chances and let the Cubs lose their second series to the Brewers (16-12).

With Wood doing his best Eric Gagne (S 9) impression, you would think Gagne would try to one-up him, but no. Gagne finished the 9th without problems, getting the save and giving the win to Brian Shouse (2-0).

This blown win for the Cubs happened on Alfonso Soriano’s first game back from the DL. How’d he do? Like he has so far this season whenever he’s played: terrible. Soriano went 0-4, lowering his average to .164. Your Chicago Cubs leadoff hitter, ladies and gentlemen! (I realize it’s a small sample size, but Soriano’s timing is obviously off, so why not put him in a less important lineup slot while he works things out?)

The Cubs now leave home to travel to the Cardinals and the latest fight for first place, sending Rich Hill against Adam Wainwright at 8:15pm EDT. Will the Cubs figure out new and entertaining ways to choke? Or just use the same old ways?

The Brewers go to Houston where Carlos Villanueva will face Roy Oswalt at 8:05pm EDT.