La Russa returns pitcher to 9th spot
May 11, 2010
ST. LOUIS (AP)—St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa ended a 13-game runof batting his pitcher eighth in an effort to get slumping leadoff man SkipSchumaker(notes) going.
Schumaker was hitting seventh and Colby Rasmus(notes) leadoff for the first timethis season in the opener of a three-game series against the Houston Astros onTuesday night. Schumaker was batting .217 with one homer and five RBIs and was 5for 23 during the team’s just completed seven-game trip.
La Russa said he didn’t want to move Schumaker down to ninth, his so-calledsecond leadoff slot, because that would put his only left-handed hitterstogether. Rasmus, batting .304 with six homers and 15 RBIs, is the only otherleft-handed hitting regular.
The Cardinals were 8-5 with the pitcher batting eighth.
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