WASHINGTON • Catcher Yadier Molina became the latest member of the Cardinals' walking wounded late Thursday night. Friday he became part of their bench.
Lost amid late-inning chaos that led to the Cardinals' 11-10, 13-inning loss was Molina taking a bad step as he ran out a 12th-inning ground ball. Extending for first base with his right leg, Molina jammed it on the bag. He finished the game but limped from the clubhouse. Discomfort and swelling remained Friday morning, leading to a recommendation that he miss his second start in the team's last 26 games.
Rookie Bryan Anderson made his third major-league start when paired for a second time with fellow rookie Jaime Garcia. Anderson learned of his assignment when he arrived at the clubhouse Friday afternoon.
Molina's affected knee is the same one that required arthroscopic surgery to remove torn cartilage following the 2008 season. However, the prior condition is not considered a complicating factor in his return.
Manager Tony La Russa would not predict whether Molina would return to the lineup tonight.
The Cardinals entered Friday's game 3-13 without him as starter.
Pujols, Holliday in Lineup
First baseman Albert Pujols and left fielder Matt Holliday remained in Friday's starting lineup after also experiencing late-inning mishaps that sent Pujols sprawling for several nervous minutes and forced Holliday from Thursday's game.
Pujols' right ankle was heavily wrapped before Friday's game after he twisted it while trying to scale the tarp along the first-base rail at Nationals Park. Holliday, hit near the left wrist during Thursday's four-run ninth inning, said he escaped with nothing more serious than a bruise on the meat of the hand.
"They're sore but playable," La Russa said. "Happily and fortunately."
"It's fine," Holliday said.
Pujols said he awoke with ankle soreness but called the condition manageable. He reinforced the statement by slamming his 35th home run in a first-inning at-bat against Nationals lefthander Scott Olsen.
"It's sore but I think I can play through it," Pujols said before the game. He cited swelling on the outside of the ankle and beneath the bone. "Tape it up and hopefully in the next couple days with treatment it gets better.'
La Russa on No. 400
La Russa was so irritated after Thursday's 11-10 loss that he refused to comment about Pujols becoming the 47th player in the game's history to reach 400 home runs. By Friday, his mood had improved enough to offer perspective.
"The remarkable thing is he's a high average, big RBI type hitter," La Russa said. "You know he's great when you have trouble comparing him to anybody that's come before. You're talking about a historic career. It's really remarkable. I really appreciate the fact that as he got close he didn't get distracted. He's so strong between the ears as far as his approach."
Pujols' Thursday home run was his 11th in 22 games. Only Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez reached 400 home runs at an earlier age than Pujols, 30.
Et Cetera
Felipe Lopez returned to the starting lineup one night after La Russa cited concerns over his throwing arm that contributed to his removal from the fourth inning of a 5-3 game. Lopez, who committed a costly error at shortstop that led to three unearned runs against Chris Carpenter, started at second base Friday against a lefthander. Lopez denied any problem with his arm. ... La Russa conceded he has considered giving Skip Schumaker time in right field should the right match-up occur for Aaron Miles to play at second base. ... La Russa played down organizational interest in free agent outfielder Brad Hawpe, who agreed to a minor-league deal Friday with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Cardinals continue to wait on center fielder Colby Rasmus' return from a right calf strain. Rasmus missed his 10th consecutive start Friday and remains questionable for the series' final two games.
