"June closed on Lance Berkman on Thursday night. His batting average suggests an abrupt decline from April and an incremental drop from May.

Berkman reminded before and during his team's 9-6 win over the Baltimore Orioles that numbers can lie.

Carrying a .210 average into the month's last game, the Cardinals' right fielder-first baseman served as designated hitter in the Cardinals' series finale.

After insisting before the game that his right wrist is giving him no significant problem after requiring a cortisone injection June 4, Berkman produced two monstrous home runs to give him nine home runs and 22 RBIs during a "down" month.

"I feel like I've swung the bat a lot better this month than I did in May, even though I haven't had as many hits," Berkman said. "I'll take a month with power numbers over a high-average month every time. My job is all about production, driving in runs, hitting home runs. My home runs and RBIs have been fine."

Thursday's breakout left Berkman with a .221 June average, though he finished with only one fewer RBI than games started. His production numbers compare favorable to May, when he hit three home runs with 14 RBIs in 24 starts that accompanied a .262 average. (April remains in another galaxy, as Berkman's .393 average and 1.207 on-base-plus-slugging percentage twice earned him NL Player of the Week honors and made him a challenger to the Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun for Player of the Month.)

The last two months have dragged Berkman's overall average to .296, matching his career average.

Berkman's team-most 58 RBIs lead left fielder Matt Holliday and first baseman Albert Pujols by 13. His 20 home runs are three more than the disabled Pujols, who has 40 more at-bats this season."