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Spirit of St. Louis: Pujols flying high for Cards

Tue 20th, May 2008

(Sports Network) - It's business as usual this season for St. Louis Cardinals All-Star first baseman Albert Pujols.

Pujols, a model of consistency his entire career, is marking up the stat sheets at a torrid pace and keeping the Cardinals within striking distance of the Chicago Cubs for first in the NL Central. Pujols is a triple-crown threat every season, but needs to knock in more runs to have a shot this year. However, he is currently fourth in the majors with a .364 batting average, fifth with 11 homers and near the mid-way mark with 31 runs batted in.

Pujols, who occupies almost 10 pages in the 2008 St. Louis media guide, is tops in the big leagues with 41 walks and a .495 on-base percentage. He has hit in 26 of the last 28 games (38-for-103) for a solid .369 average, and is coming off Monday's win over San Diego in which he belted a pair of home runs to highlight a 16-hit attack in an 8-2 triumph. Pujols has a pair of multi-homer games this season and 22 in his Hall of Fame career. He currently owns five multi-hit games in the last six contests, and is hitting .444 (12-for-27) with six runs scored and five RBI during that stretch.

The 6-3, 230-pound Dominican is an intimidating presence at the plate, especially with the way he pumps his bat in the air. The sweet-swinging Pujols is just seven home runs shy for 300 in his career and is on pace to extend his records of 30-homer and 100-RBI seasons to eight. With his patience and skills to hit in the clutch, Pujols is a big reason why the Cardinals are just two games behind the Cubs in the Central standings. And don't forget how this hitting machine continues to compete with a nagging elbow problem.

"He's possibly the greatest right-handed hitter of all time, so any time he gets pitches to hit, he's going to do some damage," said teammate Ryan Ludwick after Monday's game in San Diego. "He's done it his whole life. Any time he gets going and he gets pitched to, I have a feeling we're going to put more runs on the board."

Ludwick bats in the No. 4 spot behind the great Pujols, and is not too shabby either. In 17 games this month, Ludwick is hitting .400 with eight homers, 18 RBI and a .927 slugging percentage. He is batting .350 with 12 home runs and 32 runs batted in this year.

Pujols, the 2005 NL MVP, and Ludwick will take their cracks again at the Padres on Tuesday at Petco Park. Greg Maddux is scheduled to take the hill in San Diego, while Pujols is hitting .333 with three homers and six RBI in his career against the savvy right-hander.

ANKIEL MISSES THIRD STRAIGHT GAME

Cardinals outfielder and converted pitcher Rick Ankiel has missed his last three games because of a nagging shoulder injury suffered against Tampa Bay on May 16. He went 0-for-4 at the plate against the Rays that day.

"He's improving," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He's on the active list. We'll see how he feels and how much we can use him."

Ankiel is hitting .285 with seven homers and 21 RBI in 40 games this season. Before going hitless against the Rays, Ankiel was riding a nine-game hitting streak in which he collected a pair of homers and five runs batted in.

The Fort Pierce, Florida native said he may be back in the St. Louis lineup in a day or two.

MULDER UPDATE

Cardinals pitcher Mark Mulder has been a hot topic for all the wrong reasons this season. The injured hurler suffered another setback in his rehabilitation stint after undergoing left shoulder surgery.

Mulder initially underwent the procedure at the end of the 2006 season, and was able to make three appearances in 2007 before needing more work done. It appeared Mulder's labrum had healed after the first surgery but another procedure on his rotator cuff was necessary.

The southpaw is expected to miss a scheduled start for Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday because of the problem after making five rehab appearances in April and May. Mulder is currently hampered with a mild rotator cuff strain and the team described his condition as a "lack of range of motion in his left shoulder due to capsular irritation."

Mulder, who is expected to continue his rehab assignment in 10-14 days, is 103-60 with a 4.18 earned run average in 202 career starts with Oakland and St. Louis. He was a vital cog for the A's years ago when they also had Barry Zito and Tim Hudson in the rotation.

WHO'S HOT

Pujols will remain on this list for a long time. Ludwick also gets a nod, but so does starting pitcher Todd Wellemeyer. Wellemeyer is unbeaten in his last four starts (3-0) and owns a 1.88 ERA during that span. He has pitched at least five innings in every outing this season, and is 5-1 with a 3.25 earned run average through 10 starts.

Wellemeyer defeated the Padres on Monday, allowing a pair of runs and six hits in six innings of an 8-2 victory. He got some help from Pujols that game too.

WHO'S NOT

Third baseman Troy Glaus will be picked on until he starts putting up some decent numbers. Glaus, in his first season with St. Louis, is batting .269 with two homers and 28 RBI this season. He has been playing well over the last week or so, but hasn't contributed that much to the cause.

ON DECK

The Cardinals just went 3-3 on a six-game homestand before opening a six-game trek out west with Monday's 8-2 triumph against the Padres. They will also visit the Los Angeles Dodgers for three games.

St. Louis has won three in a row and is searching for its first four-game winning streak since the first week of the 2008 campaign. The Cardinals won a season-high five in a row after losing to Colorado on Opening Day.

La Russa's ballclub is 10-10 so far away from Busch Stadium.

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