Cardinals report

Chris Carpenter has signed a contract extention through 2007 with an option to remain a Bird through the 2008 season.

Albert Pujols has a picture on Wheaties Boxes joining 9 other Birds: Paul and Dizzy Dean, Pepper Martin, Joe Medwick, Johnny Mize, Marty Marion, Stan Musial, Ozzie Smith and the controversial Mark McGwire.

RBI-wise, Albert Pujols has just passed McGwire for seventh all-time at Busch Stadium. Jim Edmonds is five shy of tying Big Mac. McGwire drove in 259 players during is career at Busch. Edmonds is at 254. Pujols owns 7th with 261.

Tony LaRussa is three wins shy of 800 as a Bird. All-time, he has 2,117 career wins, placing him 6th. He will tie Joe McCarthy with eight more victories for fifth place all-time. Tony ranks first among all active managers. In 78 wins, he will pass McCarthy, Bucky Harris, and Sparky Anderson for 3rd place all-time.

In February, Cardinals Senior Vice President and General Manager Walt Jocketty and LaRussa signed a three-year extension. They have led St. Louis to five postseason performances, including four in the previous five seasons over the past ten years. They will be the second-longest serving duo next to the Atlanta Braves' John Schuerholz and Bobby Cox.

Jason Varitek became the 26th player to reach 100 home runs in a Boston Red Sox uniform. Varitek also has become the 5th Red Sox catcher to hit a triple for seven straight seasons in a row. Thirty-two Red Sox players have hit triples for seven consecutive seasons. The club record is 19 and Dwight Evans holds that.

Randy Johnson had a bad outing. Boston is the first team since the Braves (August 15, 2003) to hit three homers off of him and the first AL team since Texas (July 5, 1998).

The Portland Sea Dogs have started out their Double A season with a 7-0 record.

Red Sox hitting streaks:
Johnny Damon, 7 games
Edgar Renteria, 5 games.

IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS:
The Boston Red Sox are 75-7 when Johnny Damon scores two or more runs.
Since 2003, they are 48-3.