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Cardinals have brooms ready for Brewers

Aug 5, 2012 - 3:14 PM (Sports Network) - Streaking right-hander Kyle Lohse can pile one pitching gem on top of another tonight, when the St. Louis Cardinals go for the sweep of a three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium.

Lohse has won five straight decisions over eight starts since his last loss and follows up on the effort of teammate Adam Wainwright, who tossed his 10th career complete game in Saturday's 6-1 win.

Wainwright (9-10), who went the distance for the second time this season, yielded five hits and struck out seven without allowing a walk.

"What I really liked about (Saturday) was how sharp he was with his fastball," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "In the past, we've seen a lot of breaking balls be the difference-maker. But I thought he was an artist with his fastball and painting both sides."

Yadier Molina had a two-run single during a four-run third inning, helping the Cardinals win for the eighth time in their last 11 contests.

Mark Rogers (0-1) gave up seven hits and five runs over five innings in Milwaukee's second straight loss following a three-game winning streak.

"Everything they hit was perfectly placed, whether it was a ground ball in between us, and there were some bloops to center that really hurt him," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.

Ryan Braun drove in the only run for the Brewers, who have lost a season-high eight straight road games.

Lohse fell to 6-2 on the season after a 3-2 interleague loss to in-state rival Kansas City on June 15, but he's since bounced back with eight outings in which he's allowed two or fewer runs seven times.

He's beaten Miami (twice), Colorado, the Chicago Cubs and Colorado in the streak, which has gotten him to double-digit wins for the fifth time in his career and third time in five seasons with St. Louis.

He tossed six innings of three-run ball in his last outing against Milwaukee - a 7-3 win in St. Louis on April 28 - and is 5-8 against the Brewers in 20 career meetings with a 4.78 earned run average.

Lohse is 5-1 in 10 home starts in 2012.

Milwaukee counters with Mexican-born righty Marco Estrada, who's still seeking his initial 2012 victory in his 19th outing of the season.

The 29-year-old has started 12 times and come from the bullpen in six others, but has been unable to add to the four major-league wins he compiled in his first extended taste of the big leagues in 2011.

Estrada appeared in 43 games and made seven starts for the Brewers last season, winning four times and recording four holds while posting a 4.08 ERA across 92 2/3 innings.

He allowed two earned runs in seven innings of his most recent outing on July 30 but got a no-decision in Milwaukee's 8-7 defeat of Houston.

In six career meetings with St. Louis, he's 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA in 13 1/3 innings.

St. Louis has won seven of 11 games with the Brewers in 2012, including two of three in a series at Busch Stadium in July.

The teams split 18 games last season and Milwaukee last won the season series in 2010.