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Cardinals-Marlins Preview

Jun 9, 2009 - 3:55 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

St. Louis (31-26) at Florida (27-31), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the midst of their longest losing streak of the season. They hope another superb outing from Chris Carpenter and a visit to the Florida Marlins can stop it.

Carpenter looks to continue his stellar run Tuesday night when St. Louis opens a three-game series at Florida.

The Cardinals (31-27) were swept in a four-game series by Colorado after a 5-2 defeat Monday, and the slide is their worst since dropping seven in a row from Sept. 10-17.

The losing streak is also part of a 2-7 stretch that dropped St. Louis from being tied with Milwaukee atop the NL Central to 2 1/2 games back in second place. The Cardinals have been outscored 55-26 in that span - batting .233 while posting a 5.74 staff ERA - yet they still rank among the best in baseball with a 3.90 team ERA.

"We're in a rut now and it could be that we're pressing," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "The bullpen had some bad moments, starters had some bad moments. Offense. Defense. Manager."

La Russa now looks to Carpenter (4-0, 0.71 ERA) to help the Cardinals while he attempts to extend his career-best start.

The right-hander was outstanding Thursday, throwing a three-hitter in a 3-1 win over Cincinnati. It was his 26th career complete game and first since Sept. 11, 2006.

"That's just him," La Russa told the Cardinals' official Web site. "He's really, really good. That's what happens when you're really good. You can do stuff like that."

Carpenter has been stellar against the Marlins (28-31), too. He's 3-0 with a 1.03 ERA in his last four starts against them, but hasn't faced them since a 2005 victory at Miami.

The Cardinals have won 15 of their last 20 games over Florida, including 13 of 17 at Land Shark Stadium.

The Marlins are looking to build on Monday's 4-0 win over San Francisco, taking that three-game set behind an impressive performance from starter Sean West. The rookie carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his fourth career start before giving up two hits and leaving after the eighth.

Josh Johnson (5-1, 2.63) has also been effective in winning his last two starts while allowing four runs and 10 hits with 13 strikeouts in 14 2-3 innings.

The right-hander gave up two runs and five hits while fanning eight in 7 2-3 innings of a 4-3 home win Thursday over the Brewers. He also helped himself by connecting for his first career homer - a three-run shot in the fourth.

"He's unbelievable," Marlins closer Matt Lindstrom said of Johnson to the club's official Web site. "In the early innings, I was in here in the clubhouse, getting ready. I was watching some of his pitches - in and out. With conviction, throwing downhill at (6-foot-7). He has an 88-mph slider, a 97-mph fastball. It's just ridiculous stuff.

"When you can throw eight innings like that, it's crazy."

Johnson is 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 51 innings over seven starts at Land Shark but has never faced the Cardinals there. He lost his only career start to them Sept. 7, allowing three runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-1 defeat.