Game #14

DIAMONDBACKS 9, CARDINALS 7

Who would have thought the Cardinals would put seven up on Dan Haren?  And who would have thought they'd still manage to lose the game after putting up seven on Dan Haren?  It was not a good night for the pitching to just implode.

Lohse went a frustrating three-plus innings and gave up seven earned runs, blowing a pair of two-run leads along the way.  He exited the fourth inning with two runners on base and a chance to blow the Cardinals' third two-run lead, and the dirty work was left to Mitchell Boggs, who gave up a three run bomb to Mark Reynolds.  Once again, a Cardinal lead evaporated, but this time they wouldn't be able to recover.

This game would have been a steal anyway.  A match-up  between one of the best pitchers in the NL (Haren) and Lohse is the Diamondbacks' to lose.  We can still be encouraged by the Cardinals' bats giving Haren quite a pounding. Ryan Ludwick had a monster day with two homers, and Albert Pujols hit his first dinger since the home opener in St. Louis. The offense appears to be coming around, and this is what the Cardinals are going to need going into the weekend where they play a three gamer against the Giants.  San Francisco will have their top three going in that series, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Barry Zito.  I wouldn't expect a seven run performance like this against the likes of Lincecum, but each of these games are winnable.  It would be a nice accomplishment to come out of that series with a series win.

They go for a series win against Arizona tonight.  Chris Carpenter pitches for the Cardinals, Edwin Jackson for the Diamondbacks.

Boxscore courtesy of mlb.com.