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Cardinals-Nationals Preview

Jul 23, 2009 - 5:45 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

St. Louis (51-45) at Washington (27-66), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals' lead in the NL Central is dwindling, and they have a road series against the NL's hottest team coming up.

The Cardinals' makeup game Thursday night against the major league-worst Washington Nationals couldn't come at a much better time.

After suffering a three-game sweep in Houston, the Cardinals enter Thursday with a one-game advantage over the idle Astros and Chicago Cubs.

St. Louis (51-46) will try to regroup after Wednesday night's bitter 4-3 defeat. All-Star closer Ryan Franklin couldn't hold on to a one-run lead in the ninth as he gave up four hits, including fellow All-Star Miguel Tejada's two-out game-winning single.

"We thought we were going to get a really good win, but we ended up with a tough loss," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.

Since winning eight of 12 to open this month, the Cardinals have dropped four of six since hosting the All-Star Game, with three of those defeats coming by a combined four runs.

To stop its slide before a three-game series at red-hot Philadelphia begins Friday night, St. Louis will look for help from right-hander Adam Wainwright (10-6, 3.01 ERA), who is searching for his third win in four outings.

Despite posting a 1.60 ERA in his last five outings, the Cardinals have had trouble giving Wainwright consistent run support.

Wainwright has gotten one run apiece in three of those starts and lost twice. Wainwright won the other two as St. Louis scored a combined nine runs.

He allowed two runs over seven innings Saturday night, but Arizona's Dan Haren outpitched him in a 4-2 loss.

"It's a shame one of them had to lose, especially if it's our guy" La Russa said. "They were both dealing."

The Nationals (28-66) enter Thursday's game following consecutive home wins over the ailing New York Mets, but after Wednesday night's 3-1 victory, they put another starting pitcher on the disabled list.

After losing Scott Olsen for the season on Monday, Washington put Thursday's scheduled starter, Jordan Zimmermann, on the 15-day DL with right elbow discomfort.

Right-hander Collin Balester (0-0, 0.00) is expected to start in Zimmermann's place after being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. Balester, who has never faced the Cardinals, was 7-9 with a 4.35 ERA in 19 starts for Syracuse and went 3-7 with a 5.51 ERA in 15 starts with Washington last season.

The emergency starter will try to continue the Nationals' string of solid performances as they try for three straight victories for the first time since winning a season-high four straight from June 17-20.

Washington's pitchers have allowed one run during their first win streak under Jim Riggleman, who took over for the fired Manny Acta after the All-Star break.

"That's how you start winning streaks and how you play winning baseball," said outfielder Josh Willingham, who broke an 0-for-14 slump with a season-high four hits Wednesday. "It starts with pitching."

As they search for their eighth win in their last 10 games against the Nationals, the Cardinals hope shortstop Julio Lugo, acquired Wednesday from Boston for Chris Duncan, will be available.

St. Louis won two of three in a rain-shortened series from April 30-May 2 after the May 3 finale was washed out.