The Cardinals will take on Central Division foe, the Cincinnati Reds tonight, starting at 6:10pm CDT. Bronson Arroyo with a record of 2-9, and an ERA of 5.14, will pitch for the Reds while Brad Thompson, 6-3, 5.04 will start tonight for the Cardinals.
Arroyo has not won a game since May 6th, where he went 5.2 innings giving up 5 hits, and 3 runs in a 9-3 Reds win over the Padres. In his last 9 starts, 7 of them have been losses. In his last start at Seattle, he gave up 10 hits and 3 runs through 7 innings, in a 3-2 loss.
Thompson has been in and out of the starting rotation, and actually has been one of the Cardinals best pitchers. His last two outings have been out of the bullpen, and he received a decision in both those games. He pitched against the Phillies giving up 2 hits and 3 runs in 1.2 innings, then the other night he threw 1.1 innings, giving up just 1 hit, and coming away with the win, after Brenden Ryan’s extra innings homerun. In his last start, on June 19 against Kansas City, Brad went 7 innings, gave 7 hits, and only one run, in a 5-1 win over the Royals. His start before that he was pounded by Kansas City in a 8-1 defeat.
Pujols is 1-6 on the season against Arroyo, with that hit being a 2 run homerun. He has also walked and struck out.
For his career, Albert is just a .208 hitter, getting 5 hits in 24 at bats, with 1 double, 2 homeruns, 6 rbi’s, 4 walks, and a strike out.
The Cardinals need ATLEAST two from this series, a sweep would help their cause alot, going into the last week before the All Star Break.