mlb.com
June 6, 2002

Morris Returns to Winning Form

By Alan Eskew

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Matt Morris certainly put a lot of minds at ease with his pitching performance Saturday night.

Morris, who had won just one of his previous four starts and in three of them pitched 5 2/3 innings or less, threw a masterpiece in an 11-3 St. Louis Cardinals' triumph over the Kansas City Royals.

Morris allowed only four hits and retired the final 18 batters he faced after yielding a triple to Carlos Beltran to open the third inning.

"He's a No. 1 starter," said Cardinals leadoff hitter Fernando Vina, who reached base five times on three this and two walks. "He goes out and pitches quick and always gives us a great chance to win ball games. It is a lot of fun playing behind him. He's solid. He's a bulldog."

Morris, who improved to 8-4, lowered his earned run average to 3.35 and struck out eight.

"Anytime you get a big lead, you're able to make mistakes and get away with them," Morris said. "You don't want to (make mistakes). The big lead allowed me to do some things I probably wouldn't do in a tight game.

"I threw some more change ups and really worked on my rhythm, which I've been struggling with a little bit. When your team puts up 10 runs, it is tough to lose."

Morris gave up a run in the first when Donzell McDonald and Beltran doubled. Sweeney's ground out scored Beltran in the third, but after that Morris dominated the Royals before departing after eight inning and 102 pitches.

"The first two innings, I was horse bleep; the first three really," Morris said. "I got into a little groove after the third inning."

The Cardinals' offense has been in a groove in routing the Royals the first two games. In the furst two games, St. Louis has hit .395, scored 23 runs and collected 32 hits and 12 walks.

On Saturday, trhe Cardinals got three-run homers from Miguel Cario in the second, Albert Pujols in the fourth and Eli Marrero in the ninth.

"We've got a good lineup," Vina said. "Look on paper, and we've got a very tough lineup."

The Cardinals led 3-2 entering the fourth when they scored four runs and Royals rookie left-hander Jeremy Affeldt left with a blister on his middle pitching finger. Mac Suzuki replaced Affeldt with Vina and Placido Polanco on base.

Pujols, who had never faced Suzuki, drilled his second pitch over the left-field fence to push the Cardinals' advantage to 7-2.

"I was looking for something to hit and be aggressive when I've got men in scoring position," Pujols said. "I was looking for something I can handle and to put a good swing on it. I've been blessed by God. I put a good swing on it, and whatever happens happens.

"The main thing is that for the last month and a half we've been putting up runs early for our pitchers. When we do that, it takes a lot of pressure off our pitchers."

And Morris, a 22-game winner last season, is one of the best pitchers in the game.

"He's been having some rough times the last four starts, but tonight he went out there and performed," Pujols said. "That's the Matt Morris we know."

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa believes Morris, who is 18-5 in his past 23 decisions, can be even better.

"That was close to himself," La Russa said. "He had some good sessions with Dunc (pitching coach Dave Duncan). You're never supposed to say he's there. It leaves you something to work for."

The Cardinals have won 13 of 18 and seven of eight series. They trail Cincinnati by one game in the National League Central.

"I take a peek here and there to see how they're going," Vina said of the Reds, "obviously because they are the team ahead of us."