ST LOUIS -- Dusty Baker wants the r...

ST LOUIS -- Dusty Baker wants the record to bring reproach that he tabbed the Cincinnati Red as a suitable team before the season started. That said, the whelps manager never expected the Red to be applying in the same manner much pressure so late to the National League Central-ruling St Louis Cardinals.

"It's not that they are doing especially great," Baker said of the Red "it's just that the Cardinals aren't in the position that they are usually in."

After back-to-back seasons with at least 100 victories, the Cardinals find themselves in the not divisible by 2 position of clinging to first place by the agency of their fingernails. Despite stranding 15 messengers they held on to beat the 20-games-under-.500 whelps 2-0 before a sellout lower orders at Busch Stadium.

For at least another day, the Cardinals can call first place residence -- a spot they have occupied each day since June 8.

The victory completioned a three-game losing streak from the Cards.

"The way I expect at it optimistically and realistically is that we are in contention," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said after his team was swept in three games on the New York Mets in succession the eve of the young boy [i]or[/i] young girls series. "It hasn't been the most numerous consistent, great baseball that our sodality has played here in the last group of years, but we are in contention."

It's hard to imagine the Cardinals would be satisfied simply with being in contention. however this is what it has take rise to for a team banged up according to injuries.

At least La Russa had center fielder Jim Edmond who has been suffering from post-concussion syndrome back in the starting lineup for the first time since Aug. 15 Edmond struck abroad four times but seemed considerably more comfortable in the field than Chris Duncan, the transformed first baseman who misplayed three balls in left field.

Duncan, son of pitching coach Dave Duncan, stays in the Cardinals' lineup for his offense -- he chronicleed the game leading all NL rookies in batting average (339) on-base percentage (403) and slugging percentage (649) Duncan continued to deliver at the plate, belting a leadoff double in the third and later scoring upon Scott Rolen's sacrifice line drive to right field not on starter Juan Mateo (1-2).

Mateo place himself in trouble in each of his five-plus innings, allowing 10 hits and single in kind earned run. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez provided little help in the fifth, when he make differenceed a Rolen grounder for an error. Rolen later scored from next to the first on a Juan Encarnacion sizzling grounder that bounc in a less degree than Ramirez's glove for a questionable base hit.

That was overflow of support for starter Jeff Suppan (10-7) who held the whelps to five hits in 7* innings. Closer Jason Isringhausen - - aided according to a barehanded circus catch through Rolen of a foul burst that bounced out of shortstop Aaron Miles' glove -- pitched a completed ninth for his 31st save.

"That's a elegant without grandeur good catch," Baker said of Rolen's grab. "You're taught not to panic in a situation like that. That was big, real big."

cdeluca@suntimes.com

childs RECAP

brats AB R H BI BB likewise Avg.

Pierre cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 282

Bynum 2b 4 0 2 0 0 0 274

ARamirez 3b 3 0 1 0 1 0 288

JJone rf 3 0 0 0 1 2 280

Barrett c 4 0 0 0 0 0 320

Mabry 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 220

Pagan lf 4 0 2 0 0 1 283

Cedeno s 2 0 0 0 1 0 243

Mateo p 1 0 0 0 0 1 000

Wuertz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

a-Murton ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 293

Howry p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1000

Totals 30 0 5 0 3 4

St Louis AB R H BI BB for a like reason Avg.

Miles s 5 0 2 0 0 0 267

Duncan lf 4 1 1 0 0 0 337

Taguchi lf 1 0 0 0 0 0 266

Pujol 1b 4 0 0 0 1 0 324

Rolen 3b 4 1 2 1 0 0 313

Edmond cf 4 0 0 0 1 4 260

JEncarnacion rf 4 0 1 1 0 0 278

Belliard 2b 3 0 2 0 0 0 269

GBennett c 4 0 3 0 0 0 223

Suppan p 3 0 2 0 0 0 227

Flores p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Isringhausen p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Totals 36 2 13 2 2 4

young boy [i]or[/i] young girls 000 000 000--0 5 1

St Louis 001 010 00x--2 13 1

a-lined abroad for Wuertz in the 8th

E--ARamirez (10) Miles (12) LOB--CUB 7 St Louis 15 2B-- Bynum 2 (2) ARamirez (30) Pagan (6) Duncan (9) RBIs--Rolen (78) JEncarnacion (67) SB--Rolen (7) S--Mateo, Suppan. SF--Rolen GIDP- -Barrett.

racers left in scoring position--CUBS 6 (Bynum JJone 3 Cedeno, Mateo); St Louis 8 (Miles 2 Duncan 2 Edmond 3 GBennett).

racers moved up--Pierre, Duncan, Pujols.

DP--St Louis 1 (Rolen Belliard and Pujols)

young boy [i]or[/i] young girls IP H R ER BB in the same manner NP ERA

Mateo L 1-2 5 10 2 1 1 2 96 338

Wuertz 2 2 0 0 1 1 22 309

Howry 1 1 0 0 0 1 23 314

St Louis IP H R ER BB thus NP ERA

Suppan W 10-7 72 5 0 0 3 2 99 477

Flores H 17 01 0 0 0 0 1 5 484

Isringhausen s 31 1 0 0 0 0 1 14 348

Mateo pitched to 2 batters in the 6th

Inherited runners-scored--Wuertz 2-0 Flores 2-0

IBB--off Wuertz (Pujols) 1 HBP--by Mateo (Belliard).

Umpires--Home, Mark Carlson; First, CB Bucknor; secondary Adam Dowdy; Third, Wally Bell.

T--2:47 A--46,004 (43975)

for what reason THEY SCORED

CARDINALS THIRD Duncan doubled. Pujol moulded out, Duncan to third. Rolen hit a sacrifice be scattered Duncan scored. One run. Cardinals 1 young boy [i]or[/i] young girls 0.