--1B Albert Pujols has 38 homers against Pittsburgh in his career, including 21 at PNC Park, where he is hitting .383 with 58 RBIs in 63 games. But manager Tony La Russa said that too much is being made of that.
"That story has already been told -- that he hits Pittsburgh well," he said. "I don't agree with it. You're putting a target on somebody's back -- if somebody's gutless enough to take that shot. "It just raises the red cape. That's stupid. It's unnecessary for the entertainment value at the ballpark."
--Rookie 3B Tyler Greene went 1-for-4 Tuesday but struck out with the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth inning as the Cardinals missed a chance to cut into the Pirates' lead.
--RHP Todd Wellemeyer had given up only two homers in his first 40 innings, but he served home runs in the fifth inning Tuesday to Pirates 1B Adam LaRoche and RF Brandon Moss.
--RHP Ryan Franklin suffered his first blown save of the season in his 10th save opportunity Sunday when he surrendered solo homers to SS Jerry Hairston Jr. and PH Micah Owings in the ninth inning at Cincinnati. Franklin hadn't been scored on in his first 13 outings. "I made two mistakes. In this ball park, you can't make too many mistakes," said Franklin.
BY THE NUMBERS: 4 -- Cardinals rookies who have hit their first major league homers -- OF Colby Rasmus and INFs Joe Thurston, Brian Barden and Tyler Greene.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm lucky to be walking today." -- CF Rick Ankiel, after losing his balance and taking on the left-center-field wall at Busch Stadium.
