CHICAGO -- Concerned about overexposure to a hard-ridden bullpen, the Cardinals on Friday optioned outfielder Allen Craig to Class AAA Memphis and recalled pitcher P.J. Walters.
Walters was scheduled to make Friday's start for Memphis but became more valuable as insurance behind Jeff Suppan and today's starter, Blake Hawksworth. The recall represented Walters' third stint with the parent club. He last appeared for four innings in relief on June 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Craig was four for 17 with some important production since being recalled July 15. He drove in three runs in last Sunday's come-from-behind 5-4 win over the Dodgers and produced his first major-league home run in the next game, an 8-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Walters' stay was brief. He worked two innings in Friday's 5-0 loss and was ticketed for a flight this morning back to Memphis to make room for right fielder Ryan Ludwick.
Ludwick, out since June 26 with a right calf strain, is expected to be activated before today's game.
Lohse pointed to Memphis • Kyle Lohse left St. Louis for the first time in nearly two months when he accompanied the club to Chicago. Lohse threw 50 pitches in the Wrigley Field bullpen Friday and will travel to Memphis on Sunday to make a rehab start Monday at AutoZone Park.
"I know I can let it loose now," said Lohse, who required surgery in May for a problem in his right forearm. "... We'll make a couple starts and see where it goes."
Lohse hopes to see enough progress to be activated after two rehab starts but recognizes he may need a third.
Free seats are available • The Cardinals are making available free seats as part of a promotion that ran during the just-completed 7-1 home stand. The Cardinals pledged to deduct $5 from the price of some outfield loge seats (face value: $35) for every victory during the home stand, so the seats became free. Fans may obtain a maximum of four ducats for the Cardinals' five Monday-Thursday home games in August by visiting www.cardinals.com.
Et cetera • Jason LaRue on Friday made his 14th start of the season behind the plate. He has caught Suppan's last six starts. ...…The Cardinals' one-hit loss in 11 innings Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies marked only the third time since 1900 that a team has managed one hit in a game longer than 10 innings. Harvey Haddix threw 12 perfect innings at the 1957 Milwaukee Braves before allowing a game-losing double to Joe Adcock in the 13th. In 1962, the New York Yankees allowed the Los Angeles Angels only one hit in an 11-inning, 2-1 win. Whitey Ford was removed after seven innings with a no-hitter in progress. Buck Rodgers' ninth-inning single served as the Angels' only hit.
