What could have been an inning-ending, double-play grounder by David Murphy bounced off lefty Marc Rzepczynski and rolled toward second for an infield hit that brought up Mike Napoli with the bases loaded. His two-run double in the eighth put the Rangers ahead.
Pujols struck out in the ninth as Napoli threw out Craig trying to steal second again.
“We had chances but didn’t come through,’’ Pujols said. “Nothing you can do. Day off tomorrow and get ready to play on Wednesday.’’
And, it turns out, the Cardinals even botched their calls to the bullpen. Twice.
“It’s a really tough loss because we had the opportunity to add the runs where you can make a mistake … and you still win the game,’’ Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “So it’s a very disappointing, frustrating loss.’’
On a night that was more Abbott & Costello than Tinker to Evers to Chance, the game will be remembered for a reach-out-and-touch-someone moment that La Russa would rather forget.
When he went to the mound to relieve Rzepczynski, he was shocked to find Lance Lynn had come in to pitch.
“I went, `Oh, what are you doing here?’’’ La Russa said.
So much for the email, text-message age. La Russa had called bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist to have Jason Motte start warming up. Lilliquist didn’t hear La Russa correctly.
“I thought it was Lynn,’’ Lilliquist said.
Was Napoli supposed to face Rzepczynski or Motte?
La Russa insisted it was Motte. Lilliquist said Rzepczynski would have faced Napoli anyway.
“It must be loud,’’ La Russa said. “I give the fans credit.’’
When Murphy’s grounder bounced away from Rzepczynski, La Russa lifted his blue hat right off his head, in amazement and frustration, arching his eyebrows.
This wasn’t what he meant before the game when he said he would tip his cap to the Rangers if they proved to be the better team.
Yadier Molina hit an RBI single in the second and Skip Schumaker followed with a run-scoring groundout against C.J. Wilson as St. Louis built a 2-0 lead for Chris Carpenter.
