Philadelphia @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 21, 2011 ) Philadelphia 10, St. Louis 2

THE STORY: Playing in their first contest without Albert Pujols, the St. Louis Cardinals were poised to steal the opener of their three-game set against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. After all, Tony La Russa's club managed to outlast reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay and was clinging to a one-run lead over the surging Phillies entering the eighth inning. Forty-three minutes and 26 seconds later, the Cardinals had exhausted five relievers and watched 14 batters take their swings as the Phillies scored nine in the frame and cruised to a 10-2 victory. A winner of just two of its last 10 games, St. Louis will look to rebound on Wednesday when Kyle Lohse faces Philadelphia lefthander Cliff Lee.

TV: 8:15 ET, ESPN, WB17 (Philadelphia), FSMW (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Cliff Lee (7-5, 3.12 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Kyle Lohse (7-3, 2.88 ERA)

Lee has righted the ship after starting the season in a mild funk. The high-priced offseason acquisition has won five of his last six starts - including a two-hit, complete-game gem last Thursday against the reeling Florida Marlins. Lee is 2-1 in his career against the Cardinals, but the loss came on May 16 when he yielded a career-high six walks.

After finishing May with three dominating victories, Lohse has been stuck in neutral in June. The 32-year-old Californian has permitted four earned runs in each of his last three outings - including his last one on Thursday when he permitted three homers in a 7-4 loss to the Washington Nationals. Lohse is 2-3 in his career against Philadelphia with a 4.00 ERA.

ABOUT THE PHILLIES (46-28): After allowing the first run by Philadelphia relievers in 17 2/3 innings, Michael Stutes was in line to receive his first major-league loss on Tuesday. The Phillies put an end to that talk with five singles and four walks - as well as two hit batsmen - during the nine-run eighth inning. As a result, Philadelphia won for the ninth time in 11 games. Despite collecting four hits on Tuesday, Carlos Ruiz is batting .192 in June. He is just 3-for-14 with one double in his career against Lohse. St. Louis native Ryan Howard has enjoyed hitting at his "home" ballpark. Howard, who is 13-for-33 in his last 10 games, has collected 32 RBIs in his career at Busch Stadium. The slugger is 6-for-13 with a homer in his career versus Lohse.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (40-34): St. Louis didn't fare so well in its first game without Pujols, who is sidelined an estimated six weeks with a fractured left wrist. Lance Berkman, who manned first base in Pujols' absence, went 0-for-3 on Tuesday. The veteran is 3-for-9 with two doubles in his career against Lee. The Cardinals mustered just five hits en route to falling out of first place in the NL Central. Daniel Descalso recorded two of those hits on Tuesday and has four in as many contests. Descalso may be on borrowed time as David Freese is working his way back from a fractured hand in Triple-A Memphis. He is expected to return to the Gateway City by next week.

FINAL PITCH: St. Louis second baseman Nick Punto went 3-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored in a rehab start for Double-A Springfield on Tuesday. Punto is working his way back from a right forearm flexor strain.