Cardinals tag Rogers for 5 runs to beat Tigers 8-4

[June 25, 2008]  DETROIT (AP) -- Brian Barton, Skip Schumaker and Brendan Ryan each drove in two runs, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to an 8-4 win over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. Braden Looper (9-5) gave up four runs on three homers in six-plus innings.

Kenny Rogers (5-5) was roughed up for five runs in 5 1-3 innings, giving up one more run than he had in his previous five starts.

St. Louis, which had lost four of six, broke the game open with three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to go ahead 8-2 after Barton tied the game with a solo homer in the fifth.

Schumaker, pinch-hitting for Barton in the sixth, hit a two-run single and Ryan padded the lead with a two-run double in the seventh inning.

In his first game off the disabled list, Gary Sheffield hit a two-run shot to left field in the seventh inning to pull the Tigers within four runs and chase Looper.

Detroit's Miguel Cabrera hit a solo homer in the fourth inning that appeared to hit the yellow strip along the right-field wall, bringing Cardinals manager Tony La Russa out of the dugout to argue. Ivan Rodriguez also hit a home run for the Tigers, who had won 12 of the previous 15 games to be the hottest team in the majors since June 7.

Notes: St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols (strained left calf) is eligible to be activated Thursday, but will he? "I don't know," Pujols said before hitting ropes in batting practice as he joined the team on the road trip. ... Cardinals LHP Mark Mulder (left shoulder surgery) is scheduled to be evaluated Tuesday in Detroit after being scratched from an injury rehabilitation start on Monday night with Triple-A Memphis. ... Tigers manager Jim Leyland chatted up one of his best friends, La Russa, and two of La Russa's guests, Packers coach Mike McCarthy and Indiana basketball coach Tom Crean during batting practice. ... Tigers INF Ramon Santiago expects to be ready to play in about a week after being on the DL (shoulder) since June 5. ... The Cardinals sent RHP Chris Perez back to the team hotel because of flu-like symptoms. ... St. Louis' Adam Kennedy played 1B for the first time in his career, which started in 1999, and he had to borrow a glove for the night. ... Mickey Lolich threw a ceremonial first pitch to Bill Freehan, capping festivities that honored the Tigers' 1968 championship team that beat St. Louis.

[Associated Press; By LARRY LAGE]

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