The only help Mark Mulder got on Wednesday night was a single run, but, apparently that’s all he needed. Mulder (5-1) allowed four hits over 8.1 innings to lead the Cardinals over the Mets 1-0 at Busch Stadium. He walked just two and struck out five to get his fifth win of the season.
Mulder’s only support came in the sixth inning when Scott Rolen belted a two-out double to score Albert Pujols from first base. Earlier in the inning, Pujols drew his 34th walk of the season. The Cardinals were held to just four hits on Wednesday and Mulder hit two of them with singles in the fifth and seventh inning to lift his batting average to .278 this season.
Mulder seemed to be on his way to a shutout until he loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. That’s when Isringhausen came in and struck out David Wright and got Cliff Floyd to ground out to first to earn his 12th save of the season.
Steve Trachsel (2-4) was almost as hard on the Cardinals as Mulder was on the Mets. He got the loss, despite allowing just that one run off four hits and three walks.
The win combined with the Reds’ 7-2 loss to the Pirates, gives St. Louis a two game lead over Cincinnati atop the National League Central standings.
