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Phils aim to extend struggles for Cards, Carpenter

Jun 23, 2011 - 2:45 PM (Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping this season is just an aberration for Chris Carpenter and not a sign that his dominant days are numbered.

Carpenter has just one victory in 2011 and looks to put his current winless streak to rest when he takes on the Philadelphia Phillies tonight in the conclusion of a three-game series from Busch Stadium.

Since his lone win of the season on May 10 against the Chicago Cubs, Carpenter has gone 0-5 with a 4.62 earned run average in his last seven starts, with the Cardinals recording a 2-5 record in that stretch. He went eight innings in a 5-4 loss versus Kansas City last Friday, allowing five runs -- four of which were earned -- with seven strikeouts and one walk.

The right-hander and 2005 NL Cy Young honoree sports a dismal 1-7 record in 15 2011 starts to go with a 4.47 ERA overall. Carpenter is 0-2 in seven home starts as well and will face Philadelphia for the 10th time in his career, having gone 5-2 with a 5.08 ERA through his first nine encounters with the club. He has won three straight and four of his last five starts against the Phillies.

Carpenter will also be making his 50th start over the last two seasons, tying Angels hurler Dan Haren for most in the majors during that period.

St. Louis has lost the first two installments of this series and fell to 2-9 in its past 11 contests with last night's 4-0 defeat. Kyle Lohse was dealt the loss for allowing seven hits, including homers by Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard, and three runs over eight innings of work.

"I left a couple of pitches up, and kind of fell behind Howard," Lohse said. "He was looking away and I left a ball up. Other than that, I felt like I was in control."

Lance Berkman had two of St. Louis' six hits off of Phillies starter Cliff Lee, who recorded his second straight shutout. Berkman and Lohse both doubled for the Cardinals, who remained a half-game behind Milwaukee for the top spot in the National League's Central Division. The Brewers lost to Tampa Bay Wednesday at Miller Park.

The Cardinals will also host Toronto on this nine-game homestand and are 2-3 so far on the residency.

Cardinals slugging first baseman Albert Pujols landed on the disabled list Tuesday with a fractured forearm and the club is 0-2 so far without him. St. Louis went 14-14 over Pujols' other two stints on the DL during his brilliant career.

Lee, meanwhile, continued his stellar month and improved to 4-0 with a minuscule 0.27 earned run average over 33 innings in June. He has allowed one run over that span and also threw a shutout versus Florida on June 16.

"There's total gratification in going nine innings," said Lee, who has three shutouts this season. "It's kind of hard to throw nine innings, but every time I want to throw the whole game, there's no doubt about it."

A solo homer by Rollins and a two-run shot by Howard in the fourth inning gave Lee enough support to cruise to the victory. The Phillies tacked on another run in the ninth on Chase Utley's sacrifice fly that scored Shane Victorino, pushing their record to an MLB-best 47-28.

Howard, a St. Louis native, is batting .374 with nine home runs and 34 RBI in 25 games at the new Busch Stadium.

Philadelphia is 4 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta for the NL East lead and has won 10 of its last 12 games. The Phils are 3-2 on a six-game road trip and will return to Citizens Bank Park this weekend to commence a six-game homestand versus Oakland and Boston.

Roy Oswalt has been a non-factor in this Philadelphia rotation lately, however, having struggled the past two months on the hill. Oswalt will try to pitch his club to a sweep this evening and is 1-5 with a 4.17 earned run average in his last eight starts since opening the 2011 campaign with a 3-0 record and a 1.88 ERA in four outings.

Oswalt took the loss his most recent time out in a 4-2 setback at Seattle last Friday, as he was reached for four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 frames. The righty saw his record dip to 4-5 in 12 starts and his ERA raise to 3.38.

He did not record a decision at St. Louis in a 2-1 Philadelphia loss on May 17, despite allowing one run in five innings, and is 9-8 with a 3.15 ERA in 29 career games (28 starts) against the Cardinals.

The Phillies have won six of the past 11 meetings with St. Louis.