Braves Fall to Pujols, Cardinals 7-3

I thought Jeff Schultz’s Monday morning column with the headline “Capper to a miserable weekend” could pretty much sum up the events that took place at Turner Field on Sunday night. After a less than stellar weekend with the local sports scene, Atlanta faithful turned their attention to the Braves and Tim Hudson to try salvage something from the weekend. However Albert Pujols and the St Louis Cardinals were having none of it on this night.

Pujols got the Cardinals off to a good start with a first inning solo shot off of Hudson and would later add another in a four run fifth inning outburst. Hudson threw a ton of pitches in the first two innings and it was clear that he wasn’t sharp and was laboring. The Cardinals finally broke through in the fifth. Hudson allowed six runs over five innings while losing his eighth game of the season. Whether it is fatigue or something else he clearly hasn’t been the same his last couple of starts.

Offensively Omar Infante and Jason Heyward each had two hits, Heyward extended his hitting streak to ten games. Nate McLouth also continued his surge of late with two hits including his fifth homer of the season. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez also went three for four with an RBI in the loss.

The loss drops the Braves to one full game behind the Phillies. They are holding a slim one game advantage in the Wild Card race. As they prepare to start a three game set in Washington tonight there are six games remaining with the Phillies looming and that could ultimately decide the Braves post season fate.