Woody Williams had to feel like the kid who just couldn’t keep up with the rest of the kids on their way to school. Last night, he got a little closer to the group. Williams was the only member of the Cardinals starting pitching staff who didn’t have at least ten wins, until leading the Cardinals to a 9-3 victory over the Padres Tuesday at Busch Stadium. Williams lasted seven innings and was charged with three runs off seven hits, no walks and six strikeouts. He got support from familiar faces on Tuesday, as Jim Edmonds and Albert Pujols drove in three runs apiece. Edmonds did it with a solo home run in the second, an RBI single in the fifth and another solo homer in the seventh—he now has 38 home runs. Pujols did his damage with an RBI single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the 8th inning, to give him 41 on the season. The Cardinals have a 15 ½ game lead in the National League Central… Reliever Steve Kline will be on the shelf for 3-4 weeks with a strained groin muscle. Doctors say there is no tear. With Kline gone, the Cardinals will look to Rick Ankiel help out. He’s being called up and will suit up for St. Louis Wednesday. Tony LaRussa said Tuesday that Ankiel’s role may not just be limited to bullpen work. “We’re looking for help and you use him like anybody on the roster. What ever he can do to help us. It may be starting, it may be relieving.” LaRussa also indicated that Ankiel has a shot at making the post season roster, as well. Ankiel went 11-7 with a 3.50 ERA in his rookie season in 2001, but the impressive start came to a halt in the post season. Starting Game 1 of their Divisional Series against the Braves, Ankiel—for no reason in particular—started having extreme control problems, which he continued to battle the next season. He appeared in six games in 2001 and was ineffective, allowing 25 hits and 25 walks in 24 innings of work and was sent to the minors, where he has stayed. He’s just coming back from ligament replacement surgery in his right elbow. The procedure is commonly called Tommy John surgery.
