The Redbird Report 05/12

The Cardinals, struggling with runners in scoring position, can't afford miscues elsewhere but they erred both on the bases and the field Sunday in losing for the fourth time in their last five games.

First baseman Albert Pujols was out three times on the bases, although one of those wasn't a bad play; he drew a throw toward third as Adam Kennedy scored a run in the third on left fielder Chris Duncan's single. On another occasion, backup catcher Jason LaRue appeared to miss the hit-and-run sign as third baseman Troy Glaus was caught between first and second.

The defense gave up a run in the Milwaukee eighth when left fielder Chris Duncan was unable to catch up to shortstop J.J. Hardy's blooper near the line and, when Duncan's throw went to second, Hall dashed home to beat a throw to the plate from Kennedy, which was off target.

Right-hander Adam Wainwright, the club's ace, will pitch Monday's finale of a four-game series as the Cardinals attempt to gain a split of the series and of the eight-game trip. They have lost just one series all season, when they dropped two out of three at home to San Francisco.

BREWERS 5, CARDINALS 3: The Cardinals had eight baserunners in the first four innings as former St. Louis RHP Jeff Suppan walked five hitters. But they got only one run, losing three runners on the bases, in that span. RHP Braden Looper suffered only his second loss in seven decisions, surrendering two solo homers to LF Ryan Braun.

NOTES AND QUOTES

--1B Albert Pujols walked twice and singled Sunday, extending his streak of reaching base to 39 consecutive games and his hitting streak to 11 games.

--OF Ryan Ludwick, after fanning in his first three at-bats, cracked his fourth homer in five games in the eighth inning.

--3B Troy Glaus singled in the fourth Sunday to stem a 1-for-28 slide.

--RHP Jason Isringhausen, the defrocked closer, didn't appear for the second game in a row. He slightly injured his right hand in a snit after blowing a save on Friday night and RHP Chris Perez was put on alert to join the team from Memphis. But Isringhausen was not disabled.

--C Jason LaRue got only his third hit in 33 at-bats when he singled in the seventh.

BY THE NUMBERS: 292 -- Number of career saves by RHP Jason Isringhausen before he temporarily, at least, was supplanted as the Cardinals' closer.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm pitching like a second grader." -- RHP Jason Isringhausen after blowing his fifth save in 16 opportunities.