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Pujols Game Day

Big week on the road for Albert and the Cardinals

After a big weekend, winning 3 of 4 from the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals now head to the road for 6, against two of the National League’s three worst teams. First, the Cardinals travel to Pittsburgh, who currently sport a .408 win percentage, which is last in the National League, and only ahead of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for a three game set. After Pittsburgh the Cardinals travel to Washington, to face the Nationals in a three game series over the weekend. The Nationals come in with a win percentage of .429, which rates only ahead of the Pirates, and the Cincinnati Reds.

On Tuesday, Adam Wainwright will throw for the Cardinals against the Pirates lefthanded Paul Maholm. Wainwright is 9-8 with a 4.45 era, but is coming off one of his worst outings in a long time. On July 25th, Wainwright was torched for 9 hits, and 6 runs in just 5 innings, in a 7-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Maholm comes into the ballgame 7-12 on the year, with a 4.57 ERA. He has won his last two starts, going 6.2 against the Astros and 6 innings against the Mets in 7-3 and 8-4 wins. Maholm is 1-1 with a 2.04era in his career against the Cardinals. Albert is 3-7 in his career against Maholm with a double, a homerun, 2 rbi’s, walking twice and never striking out.

Wednesday matches Braden Looper 8-8, 4.85 against Tony Armas 0-3, 6.93. Looper was strong in his last outing over the Cubs, going 7 innings, allowing just 5 hits and 1 run in a 11-1 win over the Cubs. His outing before that was poor only going 2.2 innings giving up 10 hits and 7 runs. Armas has not win in 2007 yet. He has been out of the bullpen most of the season for the Pirates and his numbers are not good. His last outing on Friday, he went 1.2 innings, giving up 3 hits, 1 run in a no decision game in which the Pirates lost 8-1. The Pirates have lost the last 10 times he has been in the ballgame. Pujols has faced Armas once in his career, going 0-1.

Thursday in a 11:35 game, Mike Maroth looks to get his first Cardinal win, against the Pirates Shane Youman. Maroth is 0-4 with a 9.20ERA, while Youman is 2-3 with a 4.66ERA. Maroth has lost his last four starts going only 4 and 5 innings, getting blasted for hits and runs in all his starts. Youman has lost his last three starts for the Pirates, only going 4 innings in his last start in a 10-5 loss to the Phillies. He gave up 8 hits, and 7 runs. His start before that Shane went 8 strong innings giving up 4 hits, and 1 run, but coming away with a 1-0 loss to the Astros. Youman has never faced the Cardinals in his young career.

Albert is only hitting .219 this season against the Pirates, going just 7 of 32 with just 3 doubles, no homeruns or rbi’s. That is very rare of Albert who typically torches Bucs pitching. Albert went 3-12 in his last trip to PNC Park.

Hopefully Albert and the Cardinals can torch the Pirates in Pittsburgh this week!