Married Lele … attended the University of Georgia and was a member of the 2004 SEC co-championship team that advanced to the College World Series … is a 2002 graduate of Dalton (Ga.) High School.
2013
Combined to go 0-3 with a 8.10 ERA (21 ER /23.1 IP), two saves and 16 strikeouts in 27 relief appearances between St. Louis and Colorado … also went 1-6 with a 6.07 ERA (31 ER/46.0 IP) over 34 minor-league games (three starts) … made the Cardinals Opening Day roster, going 0-3 with an 11.05 ERA (18 ER/14.2 IP) over his first 18 appearances … recorded his saves on 4/6 at San Francisco and 4/12 vs. Milwaukee … was optioned to Memphis on 5/31 … appeared in 18 games with the Redbirds before being traded to Colorado on 7/9 in exchange for cash considerations … made four appearances with Tulsa before being recalled by the Rockies on 7/20 as the 26th man for a doubleheader vs. the Cubs … was optioned to Colorado Springs on 7/27 and recalled for a second time on 9/3 …spent the rest of the season with the Rockies … appeared in two games (both in relief) for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, allowing one run over 2.2 IP with four strikeouts.
2012
Led the National League with 34 Holds, setting a Cardinals team record. Appeared in a career-high 78 games, tied for 4th in the National League. The 78 appearances rank T1st among Cardinals right-handed relief pitchers (Motte, 78, 2011) and T 3rd in all-time appearances among Cardinals relievers.
Ranked 9th among National League relievers with career-high 73.1 innings pitched. Led team and ranked 7th in the National League with a 17.1 Inherited Runners Scored percentage (6 of 35 IR). Induced 9 double plays, T7th among National League relievers. Recorded 23 consecutive scoreless appearances (6/4-8/5) covering 20.1 IP, a team-best for the season. Snapped on 8/8 vs. SF on a grand slam. His 2.21 ERA (73.1 IP) ranked 6th among National League relievers, a career low.
2012 POSTSEASON: Appeared in 9 of 13 postseason games...pitched in four of the five Division Series games vs. Washington, allowing no earned runs...gave up 2 unearned runs in DS Game 1 (0.2) and then was unscored upon his next three outings (3.0 IP)...pitched in four of the seven League Championship games vs. San Francisco...fanned both batters faced with two on in 7th inning of LCS Game 3 to preserve 2-1 lead...allowed two earned runs during the LCS (one run each in Game 5 & Game 7).
2011
Spent most of the season with St. Louis aside from an option to Triple-A Memphis (5/23-6/9). ... Appeared in 51 games, the second highest total in his career (61 in 2010). ... Struck out 48 batters in his 51 outings for STL with 60.2 innings pitched. ... Earned his first pro/MLB save on 4/20 [2] vs. WSH, the first of three saves in three consecutive appearances (4/20-24). ... Pitched a career-high 3.0 relief IP on 4/2 vs. SD. ... Had a streak of eight scoreless appearances 4/6-24 covering 9.1 IP. ... Earned both his wins during the series at Florida, August 5 & 7. ... Excelled when pitching in back-to-back games, posting a 1.08 ERA in 7 app. (8.1 IP) with a save. ... Was used sparingly down the stretch, appearing in just six Sept. games (6.0 IP), picking up Holds on both 9/2 & 9/3 vs. CIN. ... During his time with Memphis (AAA) made four starts for the club (0-2, 2.45 ERA, 14.2 IP, 5R, 4ER, 14K). ... Made seven appearances in the postseason, compiling 7.2 innings, three scoreless appearances and two games finished ... retired Hunter Pence on a fielder's choice in a one-run situation in the 8th inning of NLDS Game 2 at PHI ... pitched the final inning vs. MIL in Game 1 of the NLCS and allowed a solo HR in Game 2 ... gave up one run in 1.0 IP during Game 4 loss ... closed out Game 3 of the World Series with a scoreless 9th inning ... struck out a personal postseason high of three batters in Game 4 of the World Series, but allowed a three-run home run to Mike Napoli.
2010
Appeared in a career-high 61 games (44 scoreless outings), second most on the Cardinals...Picked up first career relief win on 6/5 vs. MIL...Made 11 appearances of 2.0 IP or more with season high of 2.1 on 7/10 at HOU...Struck out season-high four batters 5/16 at CIN in 2.0 IP...Had an outstanding June, going 1-0 with an 0.87 ERA in 10 appearances allowing one run. The ERA was the 7th lowest in June of any NL pitcher with 10 appearances or more...Was unscored upon in 10 consecutive appearances from 5/27-6/24...Allowed a career-high five runs on 8/3 vs. HOU...Posted a 2.54 ERA in 35 appearances pre-All Star break.
2009
Made 9 starts for the Cardinals, while also making 7 appearances out of the bullpen. Fanned 46 batters in his 58.0 IP...The Cardinals were 7-2 in his nine starts, winning each of the first five...Was first recalled from Memphis (AAA) on April 15, after injury to Chris Carpenter...Picked up the victory in his first start of 2009, on 4/25 in an 8-2 win over the Cubs. Gave up one unearned run in his 5.2 innings...Struck out an MLB career-high nine batters in a six-inning no decision at Washington (4/30)...Was 6-4 in 14 starts at Memphis, including seven quality starts. Upon his mid-May return to AAA, made 12 starts before a
recall and ML start on 7/31...Struck out a season-high10 batters against New Orleans (6/6)...Won three of his last four starts at Memphis, allowing just one earned run in 21.0 IP (0.43 ERA) in his wins. For the month of July was 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA in four starts at AAA...Was recalled from Memphis (AAA) prior to start on 8/11 vs. CIN after Todd Wellemeyer (right elbow) went on the DL. It marked the 3rd time he had been on Major League roster in '09...Collected first Major League hit, a double and came around to score, at Pittsburgh (5/14) off Jeff Karstens.
2009 POSTSEASON: Appeared in one game, Game 1 of the NLDS against LA, throwing a scoreless inning with two walks and one strikeout.
2008
Led the PCL in ERA (3.45) and tied for team lead in wins (9) during his first season at Triple-A Memphis...Made 8 appearances (6 starts) for the Cardinals in two ML stints from 6/6 to 7/27, posting a 3-2 won-loss mark...Was first rookie starter to win first three decisions for the Cardinals since the 2002 season, when both Jason Simontacchi (5 straight from 5/4-6/15) and Travis Smith (3 from 5/1-7/15) did so...Made his ML debut on 6/6 at HOU, summoned in the 8th inning, & pitched 2.0 IP in relief while allowing a solo HR to G. Blum...Made his first ML start on 6/10 at CIN and earned his first victory with 5.0 IP in a 7-2 win...Posted the win at Fenway Park on 6/21, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing three runs on five hits vs. BOS...Was solid in posting the win on 6/28 at KC, allowing a run on four hits in a season-high 6.0-plus innings...fanned career-high six batters...Was named 17th best prospect in PCL by Baseball America.
2007
Developed into the staff ace at Double-A Springfield and
was the starter for the franchise's first-ever playoff game...did
not miss a turn in a season in which he ranked second in the
Texas League with 117 strikeouts, tied for fifth with 11 wins and
26 starts and 9th in ERA (3.84)...his ERA was under 4.00 in
every month but one (May), with a low of 2.38 in June when he
went 3-0 in five starts...won seven straight decisions from 5/18-
7/12 and nine of 10 from 4/20-7/12...his first career hit was a
two-run home run on 5/18 at Tulsa...tossed a season-high 8.0
innings and allowed just two hits in his final start of the season on
8/30 vs. Wichita-that win earned him Texas League Pitcher of the
Week honors...was 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA (11.0 IP/7 ER) in two
postseason starts, winning Game 1 of the Division Series against
Tulsa on 9/5...lost in Game 1 of the Championship Series...started
six games for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League and went 0-2
with a 5.21 ERA (19.0 IP/11 ER).
2006
Named a Florida State League postseason All-Star...his
126 strikeouts were 2nd-most in the league and his 3.41 ERA 5thbest...
his 10 wins ranked 5th in the FSL and 4th in the STL minor
league system...was the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the
Month for June when he posted a 3-0 record and 1.07 ERA...
carried a perfect game into the 9th inning on 6/14 at Jupiter and
settled for a one-hit shutout while fanning 11 in the 4-0 win.
2005
Went 4-4 with a 3.89 ERA in his professional debut at short-season New Jersey.
