MLB Insiders - St. Louis Cardinals

The Pirates open a three game series in St. Louis on Tuesday night. Lefty Phil Dumatrait will start for the Bucs. The Cardinals will counter with right-hander Kyle Lohse.

The St. Louis Cardinals have lost five of their last six games, partly due to a punchless offense. That means Albert Pujols' break will almost certainly be short-lived.

After getting a rare game off, Pujols will likely be back in the lineup for the Cardinals when they open a three-game series with the upstart Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. The Pirates are coming off a 6-1 homestand.

Phillip Dumatrait (1-1, 3.86 ERA), who got the second win during that Pirates' streak will be on the mound for the Bucs on Tuesday night, he has given up one run over 9 2-3 innings in two starts since replacing the released Matt Morris in the rotation. He pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings for his first career win, leading Pittsburgh to a 3-1 victory over San Francisco on Wednesday night.

He struck out five, walked one and allowed five hits. Dumatrait, 0-5 in his career entering the game, finally got his first victory eight years after he was Boston's first-round draft pick in 2000.

The left-hander faced St. Louis in relief on April 24, giving up two runs and six hits in two innings in a 6-2 Pittsburgh loss. His only other appearance against the Cardinals was a start on Sept. 1, when he allowed five runs and seven hits for the Reds in an 11-3 St. Louis win.

The Cardinals will counter with Kyle Lohse (3-2, 4.87), who has posted a 13.50 ERA en route to losing his last two starts. The right-hander gave up seven runs and eight hits in four innings as St. Louis lost 9-3 to Colorado on Thursday.

Lohse has won both of his starts against the Pirates, allowing one run in 16 innings. He pitched a six-hitter against Pittsburgh last May 28, leading Cincinnati to a 4-0 win.

The Cardinals ended their first sub-.500 trip of the season at 3-5 with Monday night's lopsided loss to Milwaukee.

After they had won the first two games of the eight-game swing to Colorado and Milwaukee, the Cardinals lost five of their last six and, even the appearance of right-hander Adam Wainwright couldn't stabilize matters. Wainwright was no different than righty Braden Looper the day before. He served up two solo homers to left fielder Ryan Braun. Third baseman Bill Hall also hit one.

"I had decent stuff. I just wasn't locating," said Wainwright. "Sometimes you get away with mistakes. Sometimes you don't."

One of Wainwright's biggest mistakes was in tossing a leadoff double to Milwaukee right-hander Dave Bush to start the third. It became a five-run inning, capped by a two-base error by second baseman Adam Kennedy, who muffed a one-handed grab on a popup in short right. He desperately tried to get a handle on the ball, which wound up bouncing into the stands for a rare, ground-rule error.

Center fielder Rick Ankiel homered in the first to give the Cardinals the lead. But, before it was over, they had lost not only the game but catcher Yadier Molina and manager Tony La Russa, who were ejected by home-plate umpire Paul Schrieber in the fifth inning.

Molina might even be docked for a game or two after he deposited his equipment all around Schrieber at the home-plate area before leaving for the dugout.

BREWERS 8, CARDINALS 3: Right-hander Adam Wainwright had given up only one earned run over his last 13 1/3 innings in two games and was deprived of a decision in both. But he gained a decision Monday night, the wrong kind, as he gave up eight runs in six innings, including three homers, two by left fielder Ryan Braun and one by third baseman Bill Hall.

--C Jason LaRue was questionable for the game after suffering a strained left knee in a home-plate collision on Sunday. But LaRue had to come into the game in the fifth inning when C Yadier Molina was ejected and then he had to run out a double in the sixth. It was just LaRue's fourth hit in 34 at-bats.

--RHP Jason Isringhausen, lifted from the closer's role after blowing five saves and being saddled with four losses, pitched a scoreless eighth, allowing just one hit. "A good day's work," said manager Tony La Russa.

--Manager Tony La Russa thought home-plate umpire Paul Schrieber had too quick a hook for C Yadier Molina, who was ejected in the fifth, along with La Russa. La Russa said Molina complained only about two pitches. "I think it was real unfair," said La Russa. "Yadier has the reputation of being as professional as any catcher out there."

RHP Adam Wainwright, who thought Schrieber did a good job for most of the night, said, "Those were the only pitches I threw on the corner all night. (Schrieber) was surprised to see them."

--1B Albert Pujols, who had reached base in all 39 previous games and hit safely in the last 11, got his first full game off.

--3B Troy Glaus, after hitting the ball hard on three occasions Sunday, drew three walks on Monday.

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.