Pujols, Looper carry Cards to 12-3 rout of Braves

[July 29, 2008]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- Albert Pujols drove in three runs, Braden Looper won for the first time in six starts and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the injury-riddled Atlanta Braves 12-3 Monday night.

Joe Mather went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs for St. Louis, which had lost six of seven. Ryan Ludwick also drove in two runs.

The Braves, struggling to stay in contention in the NL East, lost their third straight game on the same day they placed Chipper Jones, who leads the majors with a .369 average, and Tim Hudson, their No. 1 starter, on the disabled list.

Rookie Charlie Morton (2-4), recalled from Triple-A Richmond because of Hudson's elbow injury, lasted only 3 2-3 innings. The right-hander gave up eight runs and seven hits, with his ERA climbing from 6.00 to 7.26.

Looper allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings, winning for the first time since an 8-4 victory at Detroit on June 24.

Looper entered with a 3-2 record and a 6.48 ERA in 25 games at Turner Field, and promptly held the Braves scoreless through the first 5 1-3 innings.

Mather hit a two-run drive in the second inning for his third career homer, and St. Louis added four more runs in the third.

Because of a throwing error by shortstop Yunel Escobar, three runners scored on Yadier Molina's two-run double. Pujols had already crossed the plate when Escobar took the cutoff throw and tried to get Troy Glaus at home.

Escobar's throw sailed past rookie catcher Clint Sammons. Glaus scored easily, and Molina, a slow-running catcher, also made it to extend the lead to 6-0.

Escobar, Mark Teixeira and Mark Kotsay drove in Atlanta's runs.

Notes: Braves LHP Tom Glavine, out since June 11 with elbow inflammation, plans to throw 30-40 pitches in a simulated game on Wednesday. ... Cardinals CF Rick Ankiel missed his second straight game with a sore abdomen. Manager Tony La Russa doesn't know how long Ankiel will be out of the lineup, so the team recalled Nick Stavinoha from Triple-A Memphis. The club optioned reliever Mitchell Boggs to its top farm club to make room on the roster.

[Associated Press; By GEORGE HENRY]

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