stlcardinals.com
September 21, 2002

Cards, Morris Lose To Miller Again

By Matthew Leach

ST. LOUIS -- How little difference a week makes. Matt Morris still can't get Lance Berkman out, and the Cardinals still can't hit Wade Miller. That combination added up to a 6-3 Houston win Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

Berkman homered, doubled, and drove in three runs against the St. Louis ace Saturday before he left the game with hamstring tightness. That followed up a four-hit, four-RBI day against Morris last Sunday in Houston. Miller, who pitched a shutout in that game, was merely excellent on Saturday, giving up two runs in eight innings, striking out five.

Morris was tagged for all six Astros runs, four of them earned. He struck out four and walked one in six innings. In four starts since he was activated from the disabled list on Sept. 10, Morris is 1-2 with a 6.14 ERA. The Cardinals ace has one regular-season start remaining before the National League Division Series.

Reserves Kerry Robinson and Miguel Cairo, getting rare starts thanks to the day game after a division-clinching victory the night before, had two hits apiece. Eli Marrero ripped a solo homer in the ninth, his third homer in as many games. But the fourth through eighth spots in the St. Louis order came up empty, going a combined 1-for-18.

Just like the last time they faced him, the Astros got to Morris early. Berkman's double to center field scored Jose Vizcaino for a 1-0 lead with one out in the first. After Jeff Bagwell singled, Daryle Ward hit a sacrifice fly that scored Berkman, and it was 2-0.

The Cardinals pushed two runs across in the third -- two more than they got against Miller last Sunday. Morris looped a two-out double into shallow right field and Kerry Robinson singled, setting up Miguel Cairo's two-run single to left.

Morris seemed to settle in about that time. He gave up a single in the second and two soft singles in the fourth, but no runs. He got ground ball after ground ball as a fine pitchers' duel took shape.

After a pair of grounders to third in the fifth inning, however, Morris walked Jose Vizcaino. Berkman made him pay by launching a two-run homer to center field for a 4-2 Astros lead.

Miller got in on the fun in the sixth. Mark Loretta reached on an error by Scott Rolen, and Brad Ausmus singled with two outs. Miller drove them both home with a double to left for his third and fourth RBIs of the season.

All the while, Miller was cruising. He did not allow a runner past first base after the third inning and retired 14 of the last 17 hitters he faced. Marrero took Flash Gordon deep, but it was too late.