Albert Pujols hit his fourth home run of the season, his 323 rd of his career, but it was the first career homer for Brian Barden that was the difference as the Cardinals win their fifth in a row, 2-1 at Arizona on Monday night.
Both starting pitchers turned in good outing. Cardinals’ starter Todd Wellemeyer held Arizona to just one run over seven innings. Pujols put the Cardinals on top in the fourth with a home run to left field that he went down low to get. The D-Backs answered in the bottom of the inning after Chad Tracy doubled in Connor Jackson who singled to lead off the inning.
Pujols came up with a big defensive play when he cut off the throw from the outfield and caught Tracy too far off second base. Wellemeyer then struck out the next two batters.
The score would stay tied 1-1 into the 8 th with one out when Arizona starter Doug Davis threw four straight sliders to Barden. With a full count, Barden took the pitch the other way just clearing the 375 sign in right field for his first major league home run in 53 at-bats.
Barden who was drafted by Arizona in 2002 is only 2 for 10 this season, but his two hits have been game winners. His parents live in Arizona and I wonder if they were at the game? I was at the Cardinals opener last week in St. Louis and I talked with Barden right after his texted his parents reminding them he was starting opening day.
You can listen to that conversation if you click on the link below.
Llisten to Brian Barden (3:15 mp3)
