Heyward leaves game early with hamstring tightness

RHP Michael Wacha gets the call Monday night when St. Louis opens a three-game series with San Francisco in Busch Stadium.

Heyward batted third and struck out to end the first, and did not make a play on defense.

Earlier in the day, St. Louis placed center fielder Randal Grichuk on the 15-day disabled list with a right elbow strain, replacing him with Pham.

RHP Carlos Martinez couldn’t overcome an error by 2B Kolten Wong and gave up four unearned runs in the fifth that led to his fifth loss of the year.

“There are ways we can protect him”, Mozeliak said. 182 (4 doubles, HR, 3RBI). 284 with 15 homers and 44 RBIs in 85 games, playing primarily in centre field the last month. Center fielder Jon Jay has been out most of the year with a wrist injury and is not close to returning.

St. Louis Cardinals’ Randal Grichuk (15) watches his solo home run…

It’s possible that he won’t get the chance, due to some injury concerns of his own.

“I think overall when playing, he’s a special player”. At Memphis is batting.327, but over his last 23 games has a. 354 average (29-82) with 11 walks, and 17 RBI, recording 10 multi-hit games during that span. This is Pham’s 10 season within the Cardinals organization after being drafted in the 16 round (496 overall) of the June 2006 draft.