Albert Pujols, Cardinals Tie up NLCS in 12-3 Rout of Brewers

“Sometimes, you’re going to get spanked a little bit.” - Nyjer Morgan

Thanks to five RBI by Albert Pujols and some additional run support from guys like David Freese and Nick Punto, the St. Louis Cardinals evened up the National League Championship Series at a game a-piece with a 12-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers Monday night.

After producing just one run in his team's first six postseason games this year, Pujols went 4-for-5 with a home run and three doubles to power St. Louis past Milwaukee. That must have felt pretty good after screwing up royally during Game 1 when he hit into a broken-bat double play representing the tying run in the seventh.

Rickie Weeks nailed a two-run shot in the fourth and Ryan Braun went 2-for-4, but failed to drive in any runs. Prince Fielder did his part with a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth, but unfortunately for the Brew Crew, it was too little, too late. Nyjer Morgan and all of his trash-talk is 0-for-4 against the Cards so far this round.

Both bullpens got a lot of work in after both starters were chased in the fourth inning. Milwaukee’s Shaun Marcum looked just plain ugly out there, coughing up five runs on seven hits and taking the loss. St. Louis starter Edwin Jackson surrendered the Weeks homer along with seven hits and a walk before his exit in the fourth.

The Cards are headed home for Game 3 Wednesday evening with ace Chris Carpenter on the hill against Yovani Gallardo at 8:05pm ET on TBS.

[USA Today]

Ben Francisco's Pinch Hit Homer Lifts Phillies over Cardinals in NLDS Game 3

Ben Francisco, pinch-hitting for starter Cole Hamels, came up big with a three-run shot off Jaime Garcia in the seventh inning to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 3-2 win Tuesday night over the St. Louis Cardinals for a 2-1 lead in their National League Division Series.

That was all the offense the Phillies needed behind Hamels, who earned his seventh postseason victory. He's no amateur. Reliever Ryan Madson entered in the eighth to get five outs and (barely) save Hamels' performance after going no more than one inning during his 32 regular season saves. He was pretty pumped about his outing:

"That was a lot of fun. I wish I was a lot better but I guess I was goof enough and that's all that matters."

Hamels was on fire after a rough September, striking out eight over six scoreless innings, with the only extra-base hits coming by way of two Albert Pujols doubles. You'll have that.

The NL Wild Card-winning Cardinals stranded 14 runners on base in front of a sell-out home crowd of 46,914, which is pretty disappointing considering how hard they worked to get to the playoffs in the first place. They attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh when David Freese nailed an RBI single off Hamels to put his team on the board before Yadier Molina added another run in the ninth off Madson with a base hit to center that scored Pujols, but it was too little-too late.

Heavily favored to win it all after a franchise-record 102-win season, the Phillies will attempt to finish off the Cardinals in Game 4 Wednesday night at 6:05pm ET on TBS. Roy Oswalt will get the ball again for Philadelphia against righty Edwin Jackson, who has faced the Phils just once in real life: a loss in which he gave up five runs on eight hits with two walks over five innings.

[Philadelphia Inquirer]

Way to Go, Edwin Jackson!

Edwin Jackson just finished tossing the second no-hitter in Arizona Diamondbacks history, against his former team, the Tampa Bay [Devil] Rays.

It may have taken the right-hander 150 pitches through a sloppy performance that included eight walks and six strikeouts at Tropicana Field, but he shut down a tough Rays line-up by a score of 1-0. Adam LaRoche provided the offense with a solo shot in the top of the second off Jeff Niemann, who threw a two-hitter a couple weeks ago against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Edwin Jackson, D'Backs Avoid Arbitration

Avoiding arbitration this weekend, Edwin Jackson and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed on a $13.35 million, two-year deal.

The right-hander went 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA over 33 starts with the Detroit Tigers last season, enjoying his first All-Star selection. He was traded away in a three-team, hot stove deal back in December that also involved Curtis Granderson becoming the new center fielder for New York Yankees.

Continue reading this story at SportsUntapped.

Smokin' Hot Stove: Big Names Tossed Around

Some big names have been thrown out in the early winter meeting talks, but little has been seen to back up the smack.

Coveted 2003 Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay is probably the biggest fish out there, while other names strung out on the trade market like Dan Uggla and Detroit Tigers teammates Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson provided little more than mullings.

A few minor deals were struck in Indianapolis Monday, with Brian Bruney heading to the Washington Nationals for a player to be named later along with Pudge Rodriguez, and Tigers lefty Clay Rapada being shipped off to Texas for a bag of cash and some guy they'll decide on in the future. The busy Motor City Kitties did agree to a $1.55 million, one-year deal with shortstop Adam Everett, though.

Free agent righty Brad Penny somehow reached a tentative agreement on a $7.5 million, one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, pending a passed physical. Hopefully he'll remember to zip his fly this time.

Of the 23 free agents offered arbitration by their former club last week, only three accepted by the midnight deadline: Minnesota Twins right-hander Carl Pavano, Atlanta Braves reliever Rafael Soriano, and Colorado Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt. Lots of work to be done there.

Stay tuned for more Hot Stove Goodness over the next four days!

[MLB.com] | [Hot Stove Blog] | [The Diamond Cutter]

Edwin Jackson Shuts Down O's

Edwin Jackson simply dominated the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, pitching eight spectacular innings of two-hit ball to lead the Detroit Tigers in a 3-0 shutout.

Jackson (5-3, 2.30 ERA) allowed only three men to reach base and faced only two hitters over the minimum. The 25-year-old righty fanned seven over 101 pitches before skipper Jim Leyland cock-blocked the opportunity for his second career complete game just an inning too early. Boooo!