Cards fall; Marquis scratched

LAKELAND, Fla. -- St. Louis right-hander Jason Marquis has a sore elbow and didn't make his scheduled start Tuesday in the Cardinals' 11-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

"His elbow was barking a little and our team doctor said, 'Let's not push it this early,' " Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He should be ready for his next turn."

Detroit starter Mike Maroth gave up two runs and four hits in three innings. He was scheduled to pitch four innings but left after a rain delay.

"They wanted me to throw 60 pitches. I threw 49," he said. "For 11 pitches, they didn't want me to sit that long then come back."

Greg Norton hit a three-run double in a seven-run third. With a steady rain falling that led to a 28-minute delay, the Tigers sent 12 men to the plate in the third against Jason Ryan and Ray King.

Rondell White drove in one run with his second double of the game, and Craig Monroe followed with a two-run double.

Noteworthyn Rick Ankiel is hopeful of throwing off a mound in May for the first time following reconstructive elbow surgery.

Ankiel, 24, underwent reconstructive elbow surgery last July after going 2-6 with a 6.29 ERA for the Class AA Tennessee Smokies.

He is on a slow and steady path to recovery.

"There's a history with that surgery, so what you don't want to do is be impatient and push him," manager Tony La Russa said. "They've got a nice program, and the big thing is to get him 100 percent healthy so when he comes back he stays back."

Ankiel has not pitched in the major leagues three years ago. He was demoted in May of 2001 after struggling with control of his fastball. He spent most of 2001 in the minors and missed all of the 2002 season with an elbow strain.

"The funny thing is I'm still young," he said, "but I don't feel like it sometimes.

"I'm out there and I want to throw it 100 mph," he said. "But I need to let time take care of itself. I almost feel like I don't have time. But I do."

Cardinals outfielder Mark Quinn left in the third with a right groin strain that he sustained running to first on a groundout.

Infielder Brent Butler was released and first baseman Steve Cox elected free agency Tuesday, one day after both were designated for assignment by the Cardinals.