The Cardinals, who already had dropped five of their last eight games, lost twice Tuesday. Not only did the Cardinals fall to the Pirates, but they also probably lost cleanup hitter and right fielder Ryan Ludwick to the disabled list.
Ludwick strained his right hamstring while chasing Nyjer Morgan's flyball that went for a two-run triple in the second inning. Manager Tony La Russa called general manager John Mozeliak, who was in Memphis, to report the news and perhaps seek another outfielder for immediate use. Center fielder Rick Ankiel already is on the disabled list with assorted bruises after banging into a wall last week.
La Russa said, "Barry (Weinberg, head athletic trainer) says there's a real sore spot there, so I wouldn't anticipate the news being too good.
"We're running a little dry out there ... but there's always players. We'll put a lineup on the field tomorrow. But he's a really important guy."
Ludwick, not believing the injury to be that serious, said, "It just kind of locked up on me. It could be worse."
PIRATES 7, CARDINALS 1: Albert Pujols got the Cardinals off to a good start with his 13th homer of the season and 21st of his career at Pittsburgh's PNC Park, the most by a visiting player. But that was where they the Cardinals finished. They failed to score in the ninth inning when they had the bases loaded and nobody out, and they were never in the game after the fifth inning, when RHP Todd Wellemeyer (3-3) gave up two home runs.
