mlb.com
June 15, 2002

Morris Silences Royals' Bats

By Jared Hoffman

ST. LOUIS -- It would have been tough for Matt Morris to top his previous outing against the Royals last Saturday at Kauffman Stadium, when he allowed just two runs in eight innings and retired the last 18 batters he faced.

On Friday at Busch Stadium, Morris did just that, pitching eight shutout innings and limiting the Royals to only two hits as the Cardinals won the opener of this weekend's I-70 series, 3-0.

After Morris gave up a leadoff single to Raul Ibañez in the second, he didn't allow another hit and retired 21 of the final 23 batters he faced. Combined with his previous outing against the Royals, Morris has retired 46 of the last 51 hitters he has faced.

"Today, I made a couple of mistakes -- or more than that actually -- and I was able to get outs with them," said Morris. "You know your stuff is coming out of your hand good when you're able to get some outs on mistakes."

With the victory, Morris (9-4) has now won 18 of his past 24 starts at Busch Stadium.

"He's doing a lot of the things he does when he's really tough," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. "We didn't get much against their guy, so he gave us exactly what we needed."

Facing the same team in consecutive outings can be tough, but Morris believes it may have worked to his advantage.

"I think that first game has a lot to do with it," said Morris. "You see what's working. I know they're going to come back and make adjustments, but you attack that same game plan and see how many adjustments they made."

Catcher Mike DiFelice, who has caught most of Morris' starts this season, said you carefully go over the game plan when seeing a team in consecutive starts.

"You kind of look for some things there that maybe some hitter might be looking for," DiFelice said. "When you come in and you have to face a team back-to-back, I'm not sure if it's more pressure on the offense or more pressure on the pitcher. I would have to be biased and say there is more pressure on the defensive part of it. (Morris) stuck with a good game plan and just got into a nice rhythm and one you get a nice rhythm, good things happen."

This was the fourth time this season Morris has faced the same team in consecutive starts. If anyone has been making the adjustments it has been Morris and not the opposition.

The first time Morris has faced a team in consecutive starts this season, he is 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA. When he faces that same team again (the Astros twice, Cubs and Royals) he is 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA.

"When you got good pitchers out there they know what they're doing," said DiFelice. "We've got a staff that really busts their butt as far as preparation -- not only physically but mentally and scouting-wise. It was nice for Matt to come out tonight and hopefully set the tone for the rest of the series."

In his three previous starts before facing the Royals this past week, Morris had looked very un-Morris like, pitching less than six innings in each of those starts with a 7.20 ERA.

Morris says he realizes a funk such as the one he experienced can happen at any time. In his case some extra work in the bullpen and a couple of key adjustments appears to have solved the problem.

"It's just a matter of getting confidence and making pitches or finding that one key working for me. We've been working with (pitching coach Dave) Duncan and (bullpen coach) Marty (Mason) in the bullpen about standing tall. I've been dropping and driving a little too much and getting under the ball -- just kind of sailing it, instead of sinking it.

"So I've been trying to stay tall and get the movement and get the ground balls and get the early outs and hopefully keep my pitch count down."

The Royals also saw something from Morris other teams have not seen this season -- a heavy dose of changeups.

"I threw a lot of changeups, which I really hadn't been using at all this year," said Morris. "I just had confidence in it from the bullpen. I saw some good results with it and kept throwing it."

HEALTH WATCH
The Cardinals have received some good news regarding a couple of injured players.

Center fielder Jim Edmonds, who is on the DL with a sprained right wrist, took batting practice before Friday's game and La Russa liked what he saw. La Russa wants to see how Edmonds feels on Saturday but it is possible Edmonds could be activated when he is eligible to come off the DL on Sunday. The Cardinals have a day off Monday before Edmonds' former team, the Anaheim Angels, come to town for a three-game series.

Jason Isringhausen, who hasn't pitched since June 4 at Cincinnati, visited team physician Dr. George Paletta on Thursday and had a MRI taken on his pitching elbow and the diagnosis was a very mild flexor strain near his right elbow. Isringhausen is expected to be available for Saturday's game against the Royals.