Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

(Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals will try to extend their home winning streak to eight games, as well as complete a three-game sweep of the National League Central-rival Milwaukee Brewers, when the two clubs battle this afternoon at Busch Stadium.

The Cardinals haven't lost at home since April 1 and have also won four of their last five overall after Wednesday's 5-4 victory over the Brewers. Adam Wainwright (2-1) did everything he could to earn the win, allowing just five hits and two runs, one earned, with six strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a solo homer.

Jason Isringhausen notched his league-leading sixth save despite giving up a pair of runs on three hits.

Albert Pujols knocked in two runs and added a hit to extend his hitting streak to eight games. He is batting a team-high .367 thanks to the streak. Skip Schumaker ended 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored, and Chris Duncan also crossed the plate twice. Yadier Molina finished 2-for-4 with a run batted in.

The Cardinals, who swept the Brewers in three games last year in Milwaukee, will go for their first three-game sweep of the Brew Crew at home since March 31-April 3, 2003.

Though Kyle Lohse finally gave up a couple of runs, he has still pitched very well for the Cardinals this year and will aim to extend that run today. Lohse entered his last start on a 12-inning scoreless stretch and added another 3 1/3 frames to that streak before yielding a pair of runs with one out in the fourth of his previous start against the Giants on Friday. Those were the only two runs he allowed in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-2 victory.

Lohse is 2-0 with a 1.04 earned run average this year and has yet to allow a home run in 17 1/3 innings of work. The 29-year-old right-hander has faced the Brewers eight times in his career, seven of those starts, and is 3-3 with a 5.66 ERA.

Lohse might not have to face Milwaukee's Gabe Kapler tonight after the outfielder missed his second straight game yesterday due to a bruised right shoulder. Kapler, who did not play in the majors last year, is hitting .423 with four homers this season and is 4-for-7 (.571) lifetime against Lohse.

Prince Fielder is 0-for-4 against him, though, while Bill Hall is just 1- for-9.

Fielder, Hall, J.J. Hardy and Craig Counsell each plated a run for the Brewers, who have dropped five of their last seven affairs. No Milwaukee batter finished with multiple hits, as the lineup struggled to string together any offense until it was too late.

Carlos Villanueva (1-2) was saddled with the loss for Milwaukee after lasting only 4 2/3 innings and getting rocked for five runs on eight hits and two walks. Relievers Salomon Torres, Brian Shouse and David Riske combined to toss 3 1/3 scoreless innings the rest of the way.

Manny Parra will start for the Brewers and is 1-1 through two starts with a 4.82 ERA. He picked up that loss in his last outing, yielding six hits and three runs to the Mets on Friday in four innings of work. He also fanned four, giving him 11 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings of work this year.

The left-hander may need to put together a sharp outing with the pending return of Yovani Gallardo from left knee surgery. Gallardo made his third rehab start on Monday.

Parra made his first-ever major league start on July 28 of last season, and that outing came against the Cardinals. He pitched six innings and gave up just three runs, one earned, but got a no decision. The 25-year-old faced the Cards in relief on August 14, giving up one run in 2 2/3 frames.

The Cardinals are 30-19 versus the Brewers since the start of the 2005 season and took eight of 15 against them last year. St. Louis has won six of its last eight at home against Milwaukee as well.