stlcardinals.com
April 16, 2003

Morris, Cards cruise past Brewers

By Abe Winter / MLB.com

MILWAUKEE -- The pitching prowess of Matt Morris has rarely been questioned. But did anybody know about his power at the plate?

Morris notched his first victory of the season and also hit the first home run of his career as the St. Louis Cardinals overwhelmed the Milwaukee Brewers, 15-2, on Wednesday at Miller Park.

Nobody was more shocked about the home run than the two starting pitchers.

"I've thrown him fastballs every time I faced him, and he's never hit them," Milwaukee's Wayne Franklin said. "I wasn't going to make an adjustment until he did."

Mission accomplished.

"I've been waiting for this home run since Little League," said Morris. "I ran into one. I got lucky, which is great." There certainly was a lot more offense for the Cardinals. Scott Rolen hit a pair of two-run homers and Eduardo Perez hit homered for the second consecutive game to back the pitching of Morris.

The Cardinals had a 16-hit attack and scored in each of the first five innings to make it easy for Morris (1-1), who allowed one unearned run on five hits in six innings.

"To get a nice cushion like we did is comforting," Morris said. "With that kind of lead, giving up a home run on a changeup isn't that meaningful."

He didn't even do that, the only run scoring against him coming on an error in the outfield. Morris, who gave up six runs in seven innings in a season-opening no-decision against Milwaukee, struck out seven -- three in the fourth inning -- and walked four.

Albert Pujols, who sat out Tuesday's game with a sore thumb after being hit by a pitch Monday, had three hits and Mike Matheny continued his hot start by getting two hits and driving in three runs.

Most of the damage came against Franklin (1-2), who allowed eight hits and nine runs in 3 1/3 innings.

"I've seen Franklin sharper," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "Early on, he wasn't sharp, and we jumped him. It was just one of those days, and we've all been on both sides of those things."

The offensive onslought came a day after being limited to six hits in a 6-1 loss to Ben Sheets.

"We've got tough outs up and down the lineup," La Russa said. "Yesterday, they made us pay, today we made them pay." It started early, Rolen connecting for a two-run homer in the first inning. Morris connected in the second to make it 3-0. Rolen doubled and scored on a single by Pujols and Matheny added a two-run double to highlight a three-run third inning for a 6-0 lead.


The Brewers scored an unearned run in their third, only to have Rolen and Perez rap two-run homers in the fourth to make it 10-1.

Four more runs were scored in the fifth and one in the eighth. The second Milwaukee run came on a solo homer by John Vand Wal in the eighth.

"You give that type of guy a 6-, 7-, 8-run lead, and it's awfully tough," Vander Wal said of Morris. "We never really had him in a tough jam. That's what you need to do."

Rolen, who was 3-for-5, took over the team lead in home runs with five and RBI with 15.

"He's such a complete player, that's the best way to describe him," said La Russa, who talked more of his defensive play that his hitting.

Rolen combined with Pujols to go 6-for-9 with six RBI and five runs scored.

"That's how you have a productive day, when the guys in the middle of the lineup have that much production," La Russa said of his 3-4 hitters.

The Cardinals got hits from every spot in the lineup except leadoff, where Miguel Cairo was 0-for-3. But he walked twice and scored each time.

Cal Eldred pitched the seventh and eighth innings and Steve Kline pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

Rolen was asked if the team would hear a lot of crowing by Morris about his home run.

"It's only his first, so he won't be able to say too much," Rolen said, then laughed.