Pujols gets into swing of things with 2 HRs
By Derrick Goold 0f the Post-Dispatch
03/07/2005
JUPITER, Fla. - His swing, he says, is not ready for the regular season, but Albert Pujols hit his second and third home runs of the exhibition season and already has five extra-base hits in eight at-bats this spring.
"What's new?" manager Tony La Russa said.
Pujols was three for three with two homers and a double in the Cardinals' 6-1 victory against the Dodgers on Monday. In three games, he has had eight at-bats and hasn't hit a single, producing instead 16 total bases in five extra-base hits for a tidy 2.000 slugging percentage.
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Marquis unveils curve
Crafting a curve this spring, Marquis threw it to the second batter Monday, dropping it past a frozen Dodger, Jason Repko.
Matt Morris called that curve nasty.
"That was a Matty Mo curveball," said Marquis, who threw 41 pitches over three innings Monday. "I have to get to that point where I'm doing that 100 percent of the time."
The last time he got a looking K with a curve?
"Probably high school," he said.
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Izzy works into, gets out of trouble
Closer Jason Isringhausen threw his first game inning of spring. Coming off hip surgery in the offseason, Isringhausen tossed one inning - but what an inning.
"Couple hits. A walk. A couple strikeouts," he said. "About normal."
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Injury updates
Einar Diaz and John Mabry, both coming off injuries, might get game at-bats today. Diaz has missed time with pain in his side that limited his ability to bat, not catch. Mabry, just two days removed from hearing a pop in his right elbow, said he had only mild discomfort and was cleared for full batting practice Monday.
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Ankiel, etc.
The Cardinals were able to schedule a second game for Wednesday, and lefty Rick Ankiel is scheduled to make his spring debut against the Marlins in the B-lot game at the teams' spring training facility. Suppan will start the Cardinals' scheduled game against the Mets at Port St. Lucie. ... Former Cardinal Drew had a double for the Dodgers in Monday's exhibition game against the Cards.
