Stephenson has a lock on No. 3 spot in rotation

ST. LOUIS -- Garrett Stephenson came to spring training wondering if he'd be with the Cardinals by the time the regular season arrived. It turns out he's the No. 3 man in the starting rotation.

Manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan told Stephenson that he will start the season's third game, April 3, at home against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Stephenson celebrated by pitching six strong innings in Monday's 6-1 spring training win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Matt Morris will pitch the season opener Monday, followed by Woody Williams, Stephenson and Brett Tomko. Morris will start the schedule's fifth game before Jason Simontacchi debuts April 6 against the Houston Astros, whom he faces in his first two starts.

Cal Eldred, the non-roster veteran trying to come back from serious arm injuries, had fueled competition for a spot in the rotation by striking out 13 in five spring appearances, including three as a starter. He was told Monday he will be in the bullpen.

"I like our rotation," Duncan said. "For the most part, I like what they've all done this spring. I think everyone is pointed in the right direction."

Last spring Stephenson left camp with a painful right hamstring that eventually required surgery for removal of a dead muscle mass. In 12 appearances last season, Stephenson was 2-5 with a 5.40 ERA.

"I've come in, I've done all my work. I was probably in the best shape I've ever been in coming into spring training," he said. "Leaving spring training, I've got no excuses and got no complaints."

Stephenson emerged as the team's most impressive starter in camp. He walked only two and struck out 16 in 26 innings while compiling a 2.77 ERA.

Stephenson won 16 games in 2000 despite a right elbow that gave way during the postseason and eventually required ligament transplant surgery. He had surgery in 2001 and pushed to make the rotation last February. He succeeded, but at the cost of his health. He was scratched from one start after confiding to reporters, but not to his manager, that he wasn't 100 percent healthy. Ultimately, the dead muscle mass was discovered in his hamstring.

"If Garrett's healthy, he's proven he can win games," Duncan said. "He won 16 games battling a sore elbow. He knows how to pitch."

Tomko holds off Orioles in Cardinals' shutout

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Brett Tomko pitched six innings of five-hit ball and Miguel Cairo hit two run-scoring triples to lead the Cardinals past the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 Tuesday.

Rick Ankiel, vying for a spot in the St. Louis bullpen, threw one scoreless inning to lower his ERA this spring from 12.86 to 11.25.

Ankiel began his stint by throwing three straight balls to John Valentin, including one that sailed behind the hitter. The left-hander then threw two strikes before retiring Valentin on a groundout.

After B.J. Surhoff struck out and Deivi Cruz singled, Ankiel got Geronimo Gil to hit a routine fly for the third out.

Tomko (3-2, 3.51 ERA) struck out three and walked one in his sixth and final start of the spring.

Orioles starter Sidney Ponson gave up five runs, four earned, in 6 1-3 innings. He finished the exhibition season 1-1 with a 5.68 ERA.

"He didn't catch a break today," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "Could he have thrown better? Yeah, but it was a good outing for him in that he got his work in."

After the Cardinals got an unearned run in the second on a double by Eduardo Perez and a throwing error by Gil, Cairo hit an RBI triple in the third and Albert Pujols followed with a sacrifice fly.

Cairo tripled in a run in the fifth, and Eli Marerro hit an RBI single in the sixth for a 5-0 lead.