St Louis (42-31) at Detroit (50-25) 1:05 pm EDT
DETROIT (Ticker) -- The last thing the St. Louis Cardinals
need to see right now is Jeremy Bonderman.
Having dropped five straight games for the first time in more
than three years, the Cardinals will try and halt the skid
Sunday when they face Bonderman and the Detroit Tigers in the
finale of a three-game series.
St. Louis held a 6-4 lead in the ninth inning Saturday before
All-Star closer Jason Isringhausen allowed a two-run homer to
Marcus Thames. Placido Polanco delivered the game-winning
double in the 10th, lifting the Tigers to their 12th win in 14
games.
Now the Cardinals will have to take on Bonderman (7-4, 3.82
ERA), who is coming off consecutive 12-strikeout performances
and has yielded two runs or fewer in four straight starts. He
allowed one run in seven innings Monday in a 3-1 triumph against
Milwaukee.
As he faces the Cardinals for the first time in his career,
Bonderman also will be trying to improve upon a 2-4 home record
and a 5.04 ERA at Comerica Park.
St. Louis gives the start to Sidney Ponson (4-2, 5.30), who has
been hit hard in three straight games after beginning the season
with a 4-0 mark. The burly righthander lasted only one inning
of relief Tuesday, surrendering six runs in an ugly 20-6
loss vs. the Chicago White Sox.
Ponson, back in the rotation due to a shoulder injury to Mark
Mulder, is 4-2 with a 6.03 ERA is six lifetime starts against
the Tigers.