Craig and Holliday homer in Cardinals' win
BY AP Wire Service
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
2/26/13 at 5:38 AM
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Original Print Headline: Craig, Holliday hit homers for Cards
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) - Allen Craig has been prevented from playing first by a sore shoulder. The injury doesn't appear to have affected his swing, though.
Craig and Matt Holliday each hit their first homers of spring training, leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a 10-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday.
Craig was starting as the designated hitter. He reached base in all three at-bats, adding a walk and an RBI single.
"I feel good," he said. "We're just taking it extremely slow. It's a really long spring. I want to get out here and play in the field, but at the same time the season starts April 1 and I want to be ready for that."
The homers were back-to-back as part of a five-run third inning that broke the game open.
Holliday's two-run drive landed on the balcony of the Miami Marlins clubhouse beyond the left-center field wall, driving in Kolton Wong. The Marlins and Cardinals share the Roger Dean Stadium complex.
"I hit it pretty good," Holliday said. "I'm just trying to put good swings out there."
Former Owasso standout Pete Kozma added a solo homer in the seventh for St. Louis.
Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals' likely opening-day starter, allowed four hits while striking out three in 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
"The ball came out nice - I moved the ball around a little bit," Wainwright said "It was a good place to start."
Wainwright's counterpart, Phillip Humber, didn't fare as well.
After needing eight pitches to retire the Cardinals in the first inning, Humber walked the first two batters of the inning before David Freese lined a pitch off the right-field wall, scoring Craig.
Humber issued another walk but got out of the inning without allowing another run.
"I just didn't throw strikes," said Humber, who was selected off waivers from the White Sox during the offseason. "It's not the ideal second inning that you want to have, but it's my first time out there."
