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Maroth looks to help Cardinals bounce back

Sep 6, 2007 - 2:10 PM Pittsburgh (61-78) at St Louis (68-68) 2:10 pm EDT

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) - The St. Louis Cardinals will try keep their postseason aspirations alive when they meet the Pittsburgh Pirates in Thursday's series finale of a four-game series.

In order to do so, the Cardinals will need some better pitching from Mike Maroth (0-4, 11.08 ERA).

Maroth will be making his first start since July 27 after two appearances out of the bullpen and a stint on the disabled list in that span. The lefthander is seeking his first win since beating the Washington Nationals as a member of the Detroit Tigers on June 18.

In his last start, the 30-year-old Maroth was pounded for seven runs and 11 hits in four innings of a 12-2 setback against the Milwaukee Brewers. He has lost his last four starts, giving up at least four runs in any of those outings.

The Cardinals are coming off an 8-2 loss on Wednesday, in which two-time All-Star Mark Mulder was rocked in his return to the team for the first time in more than a year. The lefthander gave up six runs and eight hits in four innings.

With the setback, St. Louis (68-68) fell two games behind the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs (71-67) and 1 1/2 behind the second-place Milwaukee Brewers (71-68).

Pittsburgh counters with Bryan Bullington (NR), who will be making his first major league start and first appearance since the 2005 season.

Taken No. 1 overall out of Ball State in 2002, the 26-year-old posted a 11-9 record with a 4.00 ERA in 26 starts in Class AAA Indianapolis after missing all of 2006 due to shoulder surgery.

Jack Wilson and Ronnie Paulino both drove in three runs to spoil Mark Mulder's long-awaited return to the mound on Wednesday.