“Up and in, that far ... bad all the way around,” said Matheny. “He was liable to be thrown out right when the first one happened.”

COONEY RETURNS

Tim Cooney, pitching for the first time since his emergency appendectomy last July 27, worked two scoreless innings. He walked two but he allowed no runs or hits.

Cooney had won his first game for the Cardinals last July 24, allowing Atlanta two runs in seven innings, before becoming ill a couple of days later. He then had been set back by some shoulder soreness earlier in the spring.

“It had been a while,” said Cooney. “I was trying to treat it like a start, getting ready last night. But ... it was more about making sure my arm felt good.”

Cooney, along with Tyler Lyons, who started on Saturday, and Marco Gonzales form a three-man lefthanded contingent as the Cardinals’ Nos. 6, 7 and 8 starters although Cooney probably is behind the other two now.

“I wish I could have been healthy and had a few more outings under my belt already and been a little further along than I am,” Cooney said. “Today I wanted to dominate but it was about getting my first reps, because I hadn’t thrown to hitters until today.