If you missed any of the action past the third inning of the Cardinals-Astros game on Sunday, you missed all of the offense. For the Cardinals, that was bad news. They lost to Houston 6-4 on Sunday, but still took two-out-of three from the Astros.
St. Louis took a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Albert Pujols drove in a run with a single and Mark Grudzielanek knocked in two with a double off Roger Clemens, who was already off to his worst start of the season.
If Cardinals starting pitcher Mark Mulder had a sense of relief going into the bottom of the first with a 3-0 lead, it left the ballpark quickly. The Astros rallied for five runs to take the lead back for good. After Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman drove in runs with a sacrifice fly and a fielder’s choice, Morgan Ensberg and Jason Lane hit back-to-back home runs to cap the rally. Mulder has given up consecutive homers in consecutive games and has lost both of them.
Mulder drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning and Jason Lane drove in a run with a single in the third to end the scoring.
St. Louis won two-of-three in Houston and at 19-10, they still have the best road record in the National League. In fact the Cardinals and the Cubs, who trail St. Louis by 5 ½ games for first in the N.L. Central, are the only two NL clubs with winning records away from home.
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