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Cardinals-Brewers Preview

Sep 7, 2010 - 12:05 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

St. Louis (71-63) at Milwaukee (63-73), 8:10 p.m. EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals are trying their best to remain a postseason contender.

Looking to make up more ground on Cincinnati in the NL Central, the second-place Cardinals try for a third straight win Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

After enduring a 2-8 trip Aug. 23-Sept. 1, St. Louis (72-63) returned home to take two of three from the Reds before beating Milwaukee 8-6 on Monday.

Six games behind the Reds, the Cardinals' focus is simple.

"From now on, we have to win, that's a rule," said catcher Yadier Molina, who capped a six-run eighth inning with a grand slam Monday. "We can't go back. We've got to do it. We've got to win some games."

Molina was 1 for 18 in his previous five games before getting two hits in the opener, and the Cardinals scored more than four runs for the second time in 10 contests. St. Louis has scored 27 runs while going 3-1 at Miller Park this season.

Matt Holliday is 5 for 12 with five RBIs in his last three games. He is 7 for 17 with four RBIs in Milwaukee this season.

The Cardinals hope for another big offensive effort when they face Chris Narveson (10-7, 5.33 ERA), who is 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA in two starts against them this season.

Narveson, however, has allowed three runs and struck out 14 in 13 1-3 innings while going 1-0 in his last two starts. The left-hander gave up a run, two hits and struck out six in 6 1-3 innings of a 6-1 loss at Cincinnati on Wednesday.

He is 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA in his last six starts overall.

St. Louis counters with Kyle Lohse (2-6, 7.12), who returns to the rotation after missing his last turn following a rough outing.

The right-hander allowed eight runs and 11 hits in five innings of a 14-5 loss at Washington on Aug. 28. Lohse, 1-2 with an 11.48 ERA since missing almost three months with a forearm strain, could need a strong start to keep his spot during the final weeks of the season.

"Kyle gets the ball because I think there's an anticipation he's got the best chance to get us a (win)," manager Tony La Russa told the Cardinals' official website. "And then that spot comes again Sunday. So it's an opportunity for him to justify the confidence."

Lohse is 3-5 with a 5.38 ERA in 13 starts against the Brewers. He allowed four runs in six innings and did not receive a decision in a 5-4 win at Milwaukee on April 9.

Corey Hart hit a pair of home runs Monday for the Brewers (63-74), who have lost six of seven. He is 1 for 9 against Lohse.

The All-Star right fielder is 7 for 12 and has hit four of his career-high 27 home runs over the last three games. He is batting .340 with four homers against the Cardinals in 2010.