Cards slugger Pujols leaves game with wrist injury

ST. LOUIS (AP) - St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols was hurt on a play at first base in the sixth inning and left Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals.

A Cardinals spokesman said a preliminary evaluation revealed Pujols sustained a sprain to his left wrist. He will receive further evaluation Monday, an off-day for the Cardinals before they open a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Wilson Betemit hit a chopper up the middle off starter Jamie Garcia. Second baseman Pete Kozma back-handed the ball and threw while in the air to first, pulling Pujols off the bag. As Pujols went to tag Betemit, he hit Pujols' glove hand and the Cards' three-time MVP went down to the ground in pain.

Lance Berkman, who had been given the day off, replaced Pujols at first.

Pujols, hitting .279 this year, was 3 for 3 with a home run _ his 17th. The fifth-inning homer gave St. Louis a 3-2 lead.

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