A comeback win

Some pitchers fill you with dread. Not because they're overpoweringly good, but because you know, for whatever reason, they have your team's number.

Whenever I see Oliver Perez's name in the probable starters list, I get a small knot in my stomach. He sucks, but he seems to handle the Cardinals for whatever reason. And since Wellemeyer has been a 'surrender hits' machine early this season, this didn't bode well for St Louis.

Well Wellemeyer lived up to his billing. And Perez handled the Cardinals for 4 innings. But it all changed in the 5th. St Louis pushed 4 across, and chased Perez. They got 2 more in the eighth, to beat New York 6-4 and snap a 2-game losing streak.

One question following the game. Fossum comes in to relieve Perez with the bases loaded. He then walks Thurston on 4 pitches to force in the tying run. Brian Barden comes up to pinch hit. I know LaRussa teaches his players to be aggressive in RBI situations, but WHY would you swing at the first pitch there? The guy just walked in a run; he's thrown 4 pitches (all balls), and it looked like (at least, on ESPN mobile) the pitch Barden swung at was in the same location as the 4 that missed to Thurston. That decision by Barden makes absolutely no sense to me.

Although that probably explains why I'm not playing in the majors right now.

UCB Radio Hour is 7:30pm - 8:30pm tonight (that's Pacific time), and I'm hosting. We should have Doug Feldman on the line - he's coming out with a new book about Cardinals baseball. Should be interesting. Feel free to pop in!