Dodgers Caught in the Middle

One is a former Angel, the other a former Dodger. They are middling middle infielders, low-budget alternatives for a St. Louis Cardinal team that threw money at pitching after melting down in the World Series.

Shortstop David Eckstein and second baseman Mark Grudzielanek are easy to overlook in a lineup stocked with All-Stars Larry Walker, Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds. But they have done as much damage to the Dodgers as the big boys the last three days.

Eckstein had four hits and Grudzielanek had three to lead a 19-hit barrage in the Cardinals’ 9-3 victory Wednesday night before an announced 35,671.

The Cardinals have won two of the three games in this four-game series, with Eckstein eight for 12 and Grudzielanek seven for 13. Rolen sat out and is day-to-day after hurting his shoulder in a collision with Dodger first baseman Hee-Seop Choi on Tuesday, but it mattered not.

When the bit players are hot, you don’t so much play the Cardinals as try to keep up.

“You’ve got to get some of those guys out because the core of their lineup is so dangerous,” Dodger Manager Jim Tracy said. “Eckstein has a small strike zone and is very difficult to strike out. Grudzielanek is the same way. They put the bat on the ball and force you to make plays.”

Dodger starter Brad Penny (2-1) was peppered for 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings, his roughest outing since coming off the disabled list April 24. Three hard-hit balls within a step of Choi were among the hits, and Choi also was eaten up by a ground ball by Larry Walker in the seventh that went for a double off reliever Steve Schmoll.

Choi continued his hot hitting, raising his average to .302 with a double and two singles. But his slow reactions on sharp groundballs are becoming increasingly noticeable.

“Are they makable plays? Yes,” Tracy said. “Are you going to cast a spear in the direction of somebody trying as hard as he is? No.”

Choi’s teammates wouldn’t point a finger at him.

Said right fielder J.D. Drew: “Those balls were smoked.”

Added Penny: “You can’t blame him when I’m throwing the pitches.”

Penny wished he could have had at least one of his 100 pitches back. He was a strike away from getting out of the fifth inning with the score tied, 3-3, but opposing pitcher Jeff Suppan (3-3) hit an 0-and-2 pitch for a single, driving in a run. Eckstein followed with a run-scoring single and another run scored on Walker’s ground ball when Suppan touched home plate before third baseman Olmedo Saenz tagged Eckstein.

“The hit by Suppan turned the tables from this being an interesting game into one that got away from us very quickly,” Tracy said.

Early on it appeared as if the game might take on the epic quality of Tuesday’s 9-8 Dodger victory, with both teams fighting back from deficits.

But the Dodgers (20-13) stopped scoring after putting up one run in the first and two in the third.

When Choi got his third hit in the fifth inning, it meant that every Dodger in the lineup was batting over .300 except Drew, and he is hitting .337 since beginning the season 0 for 25.

But thanks in large part to Eckstein and Grudzielanek, the Cardinals (21-12) won going away despite leaving 15 runners on base.

The new Cardinal middle infielders replaced fan favorites Edgar Renteria and Tony Womack. But the St. Louis faithful are warming up to Eckstein, who is batting .320, and Grudzielanek, who is batting .336.