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Jul 3, 2009 - 4:16 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

St. Louis (42-38) at Cincinnati (38-38), 7:10 p.m. EDT

When Joel Pineiro won his first four starts, it looked like the St. Louis Cardinals had found another strong starter to become a fixture in their rotation.

Even with nine losses in his past 11 outings, Pineiro has proven them right.

St. Louis simply hasn't given any support to its veteran right-hander, a trend Pineiro hopes to see reversed Friday night when he and the Cardinals open a critical 10-game road trip with the first of three against the Cincinnati Reds.

Pineiro (6-9, 3.44 ERA) went 4-0 with a 3.76 ERA in four April starts as St. Louis (43-38) jumped out to an early lead in the NL Central.

He was even better in May and June, posting a 3.33 ERA and yielding just two homers and six walks in 73 innings. Pineiro, though, went just 2-9 in those 11 starts as his run support dwindled from 7.86 runs per game in April to 2.34 the past two months.

Pineiro tossed a two-hit shutout against the New York Mets on June 23, but didn't have quite the same command Sunday against Minnesota. He gave up five runs over 6 2-3 innings and the Cardinals again struggled to produce offensively in a 6-2 loss, Pineiro's major league-high ninth.

The critical blow came in the first inning, a three-run homer by Justin Morneau that was the first blast Pineiro allowed since May 2.

"I think (Pineiro) did a good job," manager Tony La Russa told the Cardinals' official Web site. "... He made one mistake to Morneau and it's three runs. ... I think he actually pitched well."

Pineiro is 3-5 with a 4.23 ERA on the road, and that's where he faced the Reds (39-38) on May 8. He allowed five runs over six innings in a 6-4 loss, which dropped the right-hander to 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA in five starts against Cincinnati.

This time he'll be on the mound to start St. Louis' longest road trip of the season, one that will see it face the NL Central's three other above-.500 clubs.

The Cardinals began their seven-game homestand at 1-4, but salvaged the final two games against San Francisco, including Thursday's finale 5-2 behind two RBIs from Ryan Ludwick.

Ludwick, who hit .385 with four homers and 14 RBIs versus the Reds in 2008, is 2 for 22 (.091) with a homer and seven strikeouts in seven games in 2009.

Cincinnati also comes in having won consecutive games, each in dramatic fashion. Joey Votto drove in the game's only run Wednesday against Arizona, then had a walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning Thursday, lifting the Reds to a 3-2 victory after they trailed by a run in the ninth.

"That was the best comeback, the most exciting, most thrilling and most up-and-down emotional game we've played all year," manager Dusty Baker told the Reds' official Web site. "After a game like this, you're tired. You're spent."

Cincinnati may have a hard time making it three in a row with Homer Bailey (1-0, 8.68) pitching. The right-hander has made two starts in 2009 - both against Cleveland - and walked 13 in 9 1-3 innings.

He issued seven free passes, three runs and three hits over five innings Saturday, but picked up a 7-3 win.

"Nobody ever said a win had to be pretty," Bailey said.

Bailey is 0-2 with a 14.73 ERA in two starts against St. Louis. The Cardinals are hitting .441 against him, including homers by Ludwick, Rick Ankiel and Albert Pujols.