St. Louis

Busch Stadium

On a sunny Sunday afternoon the St. Louis Cardinals host the Chicago Cubs, a classic rivalry.

Ballparks visited as of this game: 11

Today's pitching matchup is another classic: Chris Carpenter Vs. Carlos Zambrano.

Pujols has been making Cardinal fans and fantasy baseball owners happy for years.

View of the stadium from row 5 of section 346.

A blue oasis in a sea of red.

Chris Carpenter throws the heat to Starlin Castro.

Castro gets a nice piece of it for a base hit.

Darwin Barney and Starlin Castro score easily driven in by a stand up double smashed by Aramis Ramirez.

Cubs 2, Cardinals 0

Barney And Castro are two of the few bright spots of the Cubs' present and future, and not just because they wear their socks high.

Hopefully these two will make plenty more triumphant run-scoring returns to the dugout for years to come.

A walk around the concourse offered some nice views from other sections along the 300 level.

We paused to watch Chris Carpenter run up a 3-1 count against Carlos Zambrano.
Two pitches later, Carpenter would walk the Cubs pitcher with one out in the 5th inning.

I'm glad the Cubs don't have a mascot.

Though in a way, Zambrano is our own goofy mascot.

Zambrano sizes up Pujols.

Pujols sizes up the pitch and would go on to single on a ground ball to Castro.

Pujols later scores on a sharply hit single to center by Allen Craig.
(if you ask me, it doesn't look like sliding into home was necessary)

Cubs 2, Cardinals 1

It's usually a good thing for Cubs fans when they see Carlos Marmol take the mound in the 9th.

With the Cubs up 2-1 and only one out away from a win, victory seems likely.

But then wayward ex-Cub Ryan Theriot doubles in a run to tie the game and we go to extra innings.

Cubs 2, Cardinals 2

Bottom of the 10th and, oh great, Albert Pujols is up to bat first.

Oh no.

Pujols hits his second walk off home run in as many days to defeat the Cubs.