DENVER -- Cardinals' first baseman Albert Pujols rolled into some shoulder discomfort while trying to make a diving play Saturday evening against the Colorado Rockies. Manager Tony La Russa said he removed Pujols in part because of the rout and in part because of the soreness Pujols experienced in his left shoulder late in the game.

Pujols said the shoulder pain, while initially unnerving, had cleared by Sunday morning.

"I'm playing, no?" he said. "I'm alright."

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HOLLIDAY OUT, BUT BACK SOON?

DENVER -- The St. Louis Cardinals just about took the disabled list option off the table for Matt Holliday with two pinch-hit appearances in this series against the Colorado Rockies. And while the left fielder hoped his workout Saturday would lead to playing Sunday, his manager Tony La Russa wants to give another day.

Or so.

"Make sure when we get him back, he's 100 percent," La Russa said. "Hopefully tomorrow. We'll get him back tomorrow or early in San Francisco (series at Busch Stadium)."

Holliday is available to pinch hit again today.

Sidelined by a strained left quadriceps, Holliday did not play at all in the San Diego series, which left open the possibility of back-dating a spot on the DL. Had the Cardinals gone that route, Holliday would have been eligible to come off at the start of the next road trip. Friday's pinch-hit walk made that academic, as the Cardinals have stated all along they expected to get him back during the next home stand, if not earlier.

La Russa offered Saturday morning that once Holliday got clearance from the training staff he would be in the lineup. There wasn't the "need" to give the standard extra day to "be sure," La Russa said at the time. Holliday has described his running as much improved, and he was able to run sprints during a workout this morning. He described the threshold for his return as being "symptom free."

The lineup for this afternoon's game at Coors Field:

1. Ryan Theriot, SS

2. Jon Jay, LF

3. Albert Pujols, 1B

4. Lance Berkman, RF

5. Allen Craig, 2B

6. Colby Rasmus, CF

7. Yadier Molina, C

8. Daniel Descalso, 3B

9. Kyle Lohse, P