St. Louis Cardinals

Not much was expected of Cardinals rookie shortstop Pete Kozma this season other than to be steady in the field and not an automatic out from the eighth position in the batting order.

But, much as he did in September and in last year's postseason, Kozma has been much more than that. In the Cardinals' first 46 games, he made just one error. He also hit .265.

"I think he just puts together tough at-bats all the time," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "That eight spot is tough. It's a hard place to hit on a consistent basis. He doesn't really go out of his approach. He stays with it. He takes what they give him. He doesn't scare in big situations, which gives him the opportunity for big RBIs, even two-out RBIs."

Kozma, who was tied for second in games played on the club, concurred it was difficult to hit eighth.

"I'm trying to second-guess what the pitcher is trying to do and what I'm trying to do," he said. "I just try to go out, see the ball over the plate and take a good swing at it.

"They might mess around here and there, but it's like any other spot. You're going to get some pitches to hit and other times they're going to pitch me really well. I know how it works. Sometimes it goes good, sometimes it goes bad."

Kozma, the Cardinals' top pick in the 2007 draft, hit .333 last season, all of it coming after being called up Aug. 31 when Rafael Furcal went on the disabled list with a torn ligament in his right elbow.

"I feel pretty good," he said. "I feel like I'm not doing too bad or too good. I feel pretty solid. I feel I'm seeing the ball well.

"I'm just trying to do my job."

Record:

30-16

Streak:

Won two

Past 10 Games:

7-3

NEXT: Cardinals (Lance Lynn, 6-1, 3.27) at Dodgers (Chris Capuano, 1-2, 4.84)

Player Notes:

• RHP Jake Westbrook had his bullpen session cut short Wednesday after he experienced pain in his right elbow. Westbrook went on the disabled list May 9 due to elbow inflammation.

• LHP Jaime Garcia is done for the season, slated for surgery Friday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Garcia was examined by Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday morning. He had similar problems with his shoulder last season but elected not to have surgery.

• RHP Jake Westbrook had his bullpen session cut short Wednesday after he experienced pain in his right elbow. Westbrook went on the disabled list May 9 due to elbow inflammation.

• 3B David Freese missed his third game in a row due to a cut on his right thumb, suffered in Sunday's win over Milwaukee. Manager Mike Matheny said Feese will have the stitches removed Friday and could play in the opening game of a three-game series with the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

• RHP Lance Lynn, who will face the Dodgers on Friday, allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings in his last outing against the Brewers, snapping his five-game streak of quality starts. Lynn will be making his third career start against the Dodgers. He is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two games started last season at Dodger Stadium.

• RHP Carlos Martinez mopped up for Adam Wainwright in Tuesday's 10-2 blowout by the Cardinals over the Padres. Martinez gave up a run, three hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings. Manager Mike Matheny was pleased. "He looked good," Matheny said. "He's got some very good stuff. You look at his sinker, 92 to 94 miles per hour. Real good up-and-down action, and then he's got 97 in the tank when he needs it. He's coming around. Every time we've get him out there, I definitely believe he's getting better and better."

• RHP Fernando Salas went on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to May 21) with a right shoulder strain. The move cleared a spot on the active roster for Wednesday's starter, LHP Tyler Lyons. Salas is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 15 appearances this season.

Quote To Note:

"He had good movement and he commanded his pitches well. They have some power arms, then they come back with the softer lefty who has some pretty good stuff."

—Padres 2B Jedd Gyorko, talking about Cardinals LHP Tyler Lyons, who beat San Diego on Wednesday in his major league debut.

Medical Watch:

• 3B David Freese (cut on right thumb) needed stitches after he was spiked May 19. He didn't play May 20-22, and he is day-to-day.

• RHP Fernando Salas (right shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 21.

• LHP Jaime Garcia (left shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list May 18. He was diagnosed with a torn labrum, and he will undergo season-ending surgery May 24.

• RHP Jake Westbrook (right elbow inflammation) went on 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 9. He had his bullpen session cut short May 22 after he experienced elbow pain.

• RHP Jason Motte (muscle flexor strain in right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list March 22, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 14. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery May 7.

• SS Rafael Furcal (Tommy John surgery in March 2013) went on the 15-day disabled list March 20, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 3. He is out for the season.

• RHP Chris Carpenter (nerve problem in right shoulder) went on the 60-day disabled list Feb. 22.

Rotation:

RHP Adam Wainwright

RHP Lance Lynn

RHP Shelby Miller

LHP John Gast

LHP Tyler Lyons

Bullpen:

RHP Edward Mujica (closer)

RHP Trevor Rosenthal

LHP Randy Choate

RHP Joe Kelly

RHP Seth Maness

RHP Carlos Martinez

RHP Mitchell Boggs

Catchers:

Yadier Molina

Tony Cruz

Infielders:

1B Allen Craig

2B Daniel Descalso

SS Pete Kozma

3B David Freese

INF Matt Adams

INF Matt Carpenter

INF Ty Wigginton

Outfielders:

LF Matt Holliday

CF Jon Jay

RF Carlos Beltran

OF Shane Robinson