Only this time the good guys won, and amazingly the sequel was more impressive than the original. Considering the competition and the DH, Carpenter's one-hit shutout was the best Cardinals start of the season. The leading alternative would be Mulder's 10-inning gem, but that came against the Astros and game scores (94 versus 87) favor Carp anyway. Actually that game score may have been the best all season in the majors. As Napoleon might put it, Ecce Numerum Unum.

After Halladay made him look like he should be pulled for Kerry Robinson, Larry Walker homered twice against Chad Gaudin, the first bomb an eloquent response to the plunking of Pujols. Up 7-0 in the 9th, Walker also beat out an infield single on a roller to the 2B. With lefty Ted Lilly starting tonight, that could be Walker's last game in his home country. I guess he's the best baseball player in the history of Canada, so shouldn't he've gotten a standing ovation or a gold watch or something?