HOUSTON -- Rookie Brett Wallace had three hits and lefty J.A. Happ pitched a two-hit shutout as the Houston Astros prolonged the Cardinals' disastrous road trip with a 3-0 loss at Minute Maid Park.
The Cardinals got one runner to second base in nine innings against Happ. The lefty pitched a perfect ninth to complete the game in two hours, flat.
Jake Wesbrook pitched well, but again was given little support and felt to 1-3 as a Cardinal since the trade. Westbrook allowed three runs on nine hits through seven innings. Wallace had three of those hits. He drove in Houston's second run and scored the Astros' third run.
Not that Happ needed it.
The former Philadelphia Phillies starter pitched seven perfect innings, collected four strikeouts and 11 groundouts. The only batter to get to second base in the game was Colby Rasmus. He walked in the third inning and was bunted into scoring position by Westbrook.
***
WALLACE EXTENDS LEAD
HOUSTON -- Lefty J.A. Happ has been good enough to defend the one run of support he had, taking a one-hit shutout through the seventh inning. Brett Wallace's career day just helped.
The former Cardinals' farmhand third hit of the game added a run to Houston's lead, giving the Astros a 2-0 lead. Wallace then scored on a double play to give Houston a 3-0 lead through seven innings.
Wallace doubled off the wall in left field to score rookie Chris Johnson from first base. Houston's first two runs in the game scored from first. Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook had scattered six hits through the first six innings, and Wallace and two of those hits.
The three hits from Wallace set a career high in a major-league game.
Happ has faced one over the minimum through seven innings. He has four strikeouts. In the fourth inning, Matt Holliday pounded a drive to one of the deepest nooks of Minute Maid Park -- the center field area where Tal's Hill meets the wall. Center fielder Michael Bourn caught the ball some 430 feet from home plate.
***
ASTROS TAKE EARLY LEAD
HOUSTON -- A bloop base hit that found its way just inside of the right-field foul line is the difference as the Cardinals and Astros going into the fifth inning. Houston leads 1-0 after a fist-inning double by Carlos Lee.
Lee lofted a ceiling-high fly ball toward shallow right field. The ball dropped into the dead zone between three Cardinals' fielders and just inches fair. It then bounced quickly into foul territory. That bounce allowed Hunter Pence to score from first on the ball before Skip Schumaker could track it down.
***
CARDINALS LOOKING TO REBUILD BUZZ
HOUSTON -- When the clubhouse opened to the media this afternoon, reporters walked in to find most of the Cardinals huddled around the entry way to the team bathroom, where clippers were a-buzzing and hair was a-piling up around their feet.
The Cardinals decided, as a show of solidarity and bald-faced superstitions, to all shave their heads. The goal, one Cardinal said, was to go with the Skip Schumaker look -- bald head, bearded chin. The Cardinal who avoided the clipper was starter Jake Westbrook. Mike MacDougal, Jeff Suppan and Mitchell Boggs got their heads shaved after peer pressure pushed them past initial reluctance.
Boggs is getting married in December and was worried about his fiancee's reaction. Adam Wainwright sent a photo of his new (lack of) hairdo around.
Manager Tony La Russa was approached about getting his hair buzzed, too. He declined. Though he offered a deal.
"I need some kind of incentive," La Russa said. "The incentive is to get in first place by five games up."
That would be a 10-game turnaround.
***
REYES SET FOR RETURN
HOUSTON -- Dennys Reyes completed a brief but max-effort bullpen session this afternoon, and if he reports no discomfort when arriving at the ballpark tomorrow the lefty could be activated Wednesday when rosters expand. Reyes has been on the disabled list with a mild strain in his left elbow.
***
MOTTE ACTIVATED; RASMUS IN LINEUP
HOUSTON -- The St. Louis Cardinals have activated reliever Jason Motte for tonight's ballgame against the rival Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. To make room for Motte on the 25-man roster, the club has optioned outfielder Allen Craig to Class AAA Memphis.
Motte missed 22 games with an inflammation in his right shoulder.
Craig has been starting in right field semi-regularly with Colby Rasmus slowed by a calf injury. The Cardinals expect Rasmus to be in the starting lineup tonight against the Astros and lefty start J.A. Happ. By replacing Craig with Motte the Cardinals are able to keep Mike MacDougal on the roster and will go with an extra pitcher until rosters expand on Wednesday.
The move was confirmed in the team's game notes.
The Cardinals lineup for tonight's game, featuring Rasmus in center field and two lefthanders ready to face Happ:
1. Schumaker, 2B
2. Winn, RF
3. Pujols, 1B
4. Holliday, LF
5. Feliz, 3B
6. Molina, C
7. Rasmus, CF
8. Ryan, SS
9. Westbrook, P
The Astros lineup for tonight's game.
1. Bourn, CF
2. Sanchez, 2B
3. Pence, RF
4. Lee, LF
5. Johnson, 3B
6. Wallace, 1B
7. Manzella, SS
8. Castro, C
9. Happ, P
-30-
