Nick Punto spent six weeks on the disabled list with a forearm injury.

It’s about time the Cardinals saw some good news on the personnel front, and they got it in a big way Tuesday night.

Yes, David Freese and Nick Punto both made their return to the lineup as the Cardinals took on the Orioles. But they didn’t just take up a spot in the batting order — they provided a much-needed jump start to the team’s offense. And when I say “much-needed” I mean absolutely, without a doubt, critical in the absence of Pujols and the rest of the blazing offense we’d grown accustom to last month.

Freese (2-4) and Punto (2-4)  joined Mark Hamilton and Ryan Theriot in putting up a 3-run second to give Kyle Lohse some breathing room from the mound. Colby Rasmus, not to be outdone, hit a monster solo home run to right field to make it 4-0 Redbirds. It sure is nice to see everyone back to their hitting ways!

Lohse was looking mighty fine through five in his bid for win number eight. But things were going along entirely too smoothly to be a real Cardinals game, so the rain started to fall just after Colby’s bomb in the top of the sixth. Eventually, there was a 28-minute delay that took Lohse out of the game.

With our bullpen antics as of late, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried!

Enter rookie Lance Lynn. He’s a superstar in the making, kids!

He faced a total of six batters — five of which he struck out. And because we couldn’t possibly want to continue that trend of getting guys out late in the game (she said sarcastically), Tony La Russa and company decided to pull him. In his place for the 8th? Ryan Franklin.

It’s beginning to be more sad than anything else. We all hate to see a guy struggle like this, but it’s even harder to watch as fans tear him to pieces after every game. He called them out early on … and maybe he was right. Still, baseball is a business and as much as we all want him to snap out of this funk, Tony, it’s just not happening. Case in point, a homer, a single and an RBI double Tuesday before being pulled for Fernando “too young to be the official closer” Salas.

Good thing Salas had his game face on. The insurance from Matt Holliday’s two-run jack in the 7th gave Salas a little confidence. Matt nearly had a second homer in the 9th, had it not been for a web gem of a play by Luke Scott.

Regardless, and despite walking Mark Reynolds with two outs, (can no one in our bullpen count to three?) Salas got Felix Pie to ground out and end the game.

For an offense as anemic as ours has been, I’ll take 6 runs on 10 hits. There was that one Theriot error … but as a dedicated member of the Ryan Theriot Fan Club, I will say no more …

Despite a few sketchy moments, this was just the game this club needed. Solid pitching minus one who shall not be named backed by effective hitting is a great formula for success.

Of course, the immediate help from Freese and Punto didn’t hurt. And according to MLB.com’s Matthew Leach, despite two months away, Freese feels his rehab assignments got him up to speed quickly.

“I went down with the objective to make sure I was seeing the ball,” Freese said. “Working counts, not just going up there and seeing the first heater and attacking it. I felt good. I was seeing balls. I was taking offspeed [pitches] out of the zone, and that was one [thing] I was kind of worried about.”

Not to worry, dear David. You’re back! The offense is back too! And we’re oh-so-very-glad to have a 6-2 Cardinal winner to open the series at Camden Yards. Let’s keep it up for Chris Carpenter on Wednesday, shall we? He’s due for another “W.”

Tara is a St. Louis Cardinals contributing writer for Aaron Miles’ Fastball. Follow her on Twitter @tarawellman.

Also on Aerys

Royals Tuesday Minors Recap

Edmonton Oil Kings: 2012 WHL Champions!

Dear White Sox Bullpen