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Molina, 22, is in his first year as the starter after Mike Matheny left for a free-agent deal with the Giants. He was batting .254 with five homers and 30 RBI in 74 games and had been particularly strong defensively, throwing out 12 of 23 base stealers. Manager Tony La Russa said he was eager to activate Molina, perhaps to help pitcher Jason Marquis end a prolonged slump. Marquis entered with a five-game losing streak and had won only one of his last 11 starts. "They were really good together, and this is a tough lineup," La Russa said. "If Marquis wasn't pitching, I probably would have waited 'til tomorrow." |
The Cardinals activated catcher Yadier Molina, out more than a month with a broken left hand, off the 15-day disabled list and had him in the lineup against the pitcher whose inside delivery caused the injury. Molina had been sidelined with a hairline fracture since July 7 after being hit by a pitch from the Diamdondbacks' Claudio Vargas. Vargas was the Arizona starter in the finale of a three-game series against the Cardinals.