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Pujols, Cards offense looks to help out struggling Lohse

Aug 17, 2008 - 6:50 AM St. Louis (70-56) at Cincinnati (54-70) 1:15 pm. EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Kyle Lohse has been strong all season for the St. Louis Cardinals. Now he needs the offense to pick him up.

Albert Pujols and company look to help out the struggling righthander on Sunday when the Cardinals aim for a season-high equaling fifth straight win against Cincinnati Reds.

Pujols belted two of St. Louis' season-high tying four home runs in a 9-3 victory on Saturday. Skip Schumaker added a three-run shot and Ryan Ludwick belted a two-run homer as the Cardinals improved to 6-3 on their 10-game road trip and remained two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (71-53) for the wild card.

St. Louis is in this position thanks in large part to Lohse (13-5, 3.92 ERA), who posted 11 wins in the first half. However, he has lost two straight starts, and is1-3 with a 6.37 ERA in his last five outings.

On Tuesday, the righthander was ripped for four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 4-3 loss to Florida. Despite the rough patch, Lohse can match his career high of 14 wins set in 2003 as a member of the Minnesota Twins.

It won't be easy though, as he faces rookie phenom Edinson Volquez (14-5, 2.86), who is looking to join Arizona's Brandon Webb (18) as the only NL pitcher with 15 wins. Volquez held Pittsburgh to one run and five hits in 6 2 /3 innings of a 5-1 win on Tuesday.

Volquez, who has never faced the Cardinals, will try and help the Reds to their fifth win in the last 22 games.