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Cards, Astros play rubber match in Houston

Sun 8th, June 2008

(Sports Network) - Kyle Lohse goes for his fourth straight win this afternoon when the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros play the rubber match of their three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

Lohse has been better than expected for the Cardinals this season, posting a 6-2 mark to go along with a 3.87 earned run average. He has been particularly good over his last three starts, surrendering just two earned runs in 17 innings.

On Tuesday against Washington Lohse won his third straight game, as he allowed a run and four hits in five innings. He hasn't won four straight starts since August 1-16, 2003 with Minnesota.

Lohse defeated the Astros two starts ago and is 3-4 lifetime against them with a 3.20 ERA in seven games (six starts).

Houston will pin its hopes on lefty Wandy Rodriguez, who is 2-1 with a 2.38 ERA. Rodriguez was brilliant on Tuesday in Pittsburgh, as he scattered five hits over six scoreless innings to get the win.

Rodriguez lost to the Cardinals on May 28 and has struggled in his career against them, going just 1-5 in eight games (sevens tarts), while pitching to a 5.31 ERA.

St. Louis evened the series at a game apiece on Saturday, as Ryan Ludwick hit a three-run homer to help lift the Cardinals to an 8-4 win. Skip Schumaker went 3-for-5 with a double, triple, two RBI and a run scored for the Cardinals, who snapped a two-game slide.

Adam Wainwright (6-3) started on the mound, but left in the sixth inning with a sprained middle finger on his right hand. In his five-plus innings of work he gave up two runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts to earn the win.

Hunter Pence went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two RBI while Miguel Tejada also hit a solo home run for the Astros, who have dropped three of their last four games. Shawn Chacon (2-2) was banged up for seven runs on 10 hits in five innings of work.

These NL Central foes have already met 11 times this season, with the Cardinals winning seven of the clashes. The Cardinals also took two of three games from the Astros at Minute Maid Park from April 7-9.

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