Ponson battles his way along comeback trail

~ Duncan is encouraged by the pitcher's ability to work without his best stuff.

ST. LOUIS -- Sidney Ponson's comeback is off to a successful start. And that's plenty for him, for now.

The right-hander, whose career was derailed by alcohol-related problems, got a chance for new life in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals. He's shown his new team that at the very least, he's a battler.

Ponson allowed 10 baserunners in a five-inning start on Saturday, limiting the Chicago Cubs to one run. Afterward, he said he had "nothing."

Still, the Cubs got next to nothing, while the Cardinals rallied to provide his second victory. And that, the Cardinals believe, is something for the pitcher who's 2-0 with a 3.31 ERA heading into Thursday's start against the Washington Nationals.

"It was a great performance because he was struggling with his delivery, he was struggling with his control, his pitches weren't sharp," Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan said. "I told him that's a great sign.

"A lot of guys give in to that, but he didn't, he just kept battling and fighting and trying to keep his concentration."

In his home debut, Ponson won his first game in 10 months. He also struggled with mechanics in that outing, leaving with a high pitch count after 6 1/3 innings.

Ponson won 17 games in 2003 and was the Baltimore Orioles' opening-day starter in 2004 before he bottomed out. Last year he was 7-11 with a 6.21 ERA, highest among all major league starters. He was winless after June 18.

The Orioles released him and voided his $7.5 million contract in September, soon after he was charged with driving under the influence and driving while impaired. Ponson signed a $1 million deal with the Cardinals with $1.5 million in incentives.

"Whatever happened in the past is in the past," Ponson said. "I'm here now and I'm worried about this year."

Those difficulties make winning now with less than his best, like his magic act against the Cubs, that much more gratifying.

"I didn't have nothing going," he said. "The fastball was all over the place, and I couldn't throw strikes. The defense and timely hitting bailed me out, and the bullpen came in lights-out.

"It's amazing that those guys help you out when you don't have nothing."

As the fifth starter, Ponson expects no perks. Manager Tony La Russa has made sure Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder, the Cardinals' top two starters, go on regular rest, and that meant Ponson was pitching for the first time in a week when he faced the Cubs.

That might have factored into his control issues, but neither he nor the Cardinals wanted to make excuses. Ponson realizes he's not a high priority yet.

"You're going to get rainouts, and Carpenter and Mulder need to stay on their day, they're the horses here, so it's going to happen," Ponson said. "I just have to go out there and do my best."