Slow start from Pineiro costs Cardinals

Joel Pineiro gave seven singles in the first two innings and the Marlins struck for four runs as they go on to beat the Cardinals 5-2 Wednesday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Pineiro made it 5.1 innings and after those first two innings allowed just three hits the rest of the way.  In this battle of 14 game winners, Florida’s Josh Johnson got out of a potential rally in the first inning after Skip Schumaker and Albert Pujols singled but were left stranded.

Johnson held the Cardinals down until Yadier Molina doubled and scored on a RBI single from Julio Lugo.  Johnson gave up nine hits.  In the bottom of the ninth, down 5-1, the Cardinals did their best to make a run.  With one out, they loaded the bases after Jason LaRue walked and Mark DeRosa hit a ground rule double.  Former Royal Leo Nunez then replaced Brian Sanchez and hit Ryan Ludwick to load the bases.  Then Nunez plunked Pujols to make the score 5-2, but Matt Holliday grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

After starting September 7-2, the Cardinals came home on this current road trip and have gone 1-5.  The magic number remains at 10 with Chicago playing Milwaukee Wednesday night.