Playoff struggles continue for Lohse

ARLINGTON, Tex. -- Coming off the best regular season of his career, Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse hasn't exactly had the postseason he'd hoped for. After leading the Cardinals rotation with both 14 wins and a 3.39 ERA in the regular season, things have gone drastically different since the calendar turned to October. The Cardinals used an offensive explosion to beat the Texas Rangers 16-7 in Game 3 of the World Series Saturday night at Rangers Ballpark. But while Albert Pujols and his three home runs will steal the spotlight, Lohse quietly was ineffective yet again. The right-hander was roughed up for the third straight time this postseason, allowing three runs, five hits and two home runs in just three innings. "It was tough, man," Lohse said. "In this ballpark, any time you get the ball up they are going to shoot you to right. Obviously it was a tough night to pitch and I was just glad we came out on top. Lohse allowed a hit and two walks in three scoreless innings but needed 61 pitches to get the nine outs. Minutes after he was handed a 5-0 lead by his offense in the top of fourth, things quickly fell apart in the bottom of the inning. Michael Young led off the inning with a solo home run, Adrian Beltre singled and Nelson Cruz launched a two-run shot. In a span of about five minutes, a five-run lead quickly became a 5-3 game. Mike Napoli then singled, forcing Cardinals manager Tony La Russa to go to the bullpen. Lohse failed to retire a hitter after being staked to the five-run lead. "We had the big inning and that's a big thing, to go out and shut them down," Lohse said. " I didn't do a very good job of that. "You can't leave the ball up. Its definitely hurt me." Things quickly snowballed downhill in similar fashion in Lohse's Game 1 start in the Division Series in Philadelphia. Lohse and the Cardinals led 3-1 going to the bottom of the sixth inning before he allowed five runs on a three-run homer by Ryan Howard and a two-run shot to Raul Ibanez in a span of three batters. In a Game 4 start in the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Lohse allowed two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth before being pulled after 4 13 innings. In three postseason starts, Lohse has allowed 11 earned runs, 18 hits and four home runs in just 12 23 innings and has a 7.82 ERA. "You get one scoreless inning in the postseason against one of the best clubs in Major League Baseball, you've got to be good, and he's done it more than one inning," said manager Tony La Russa. "But he was different in the fourth inning. It would be a good question to ask him and I'm sure Dunc will talk to him about it because he wants to be able to build on that. "In the fourth inning he was different. I don't know why he was different but I just saw he was different and that's what you decide on. I don't know how to explain it." Lohse's recent struggles bring up an interesting possibility for the Cardinals. Saturday's laugher gave them a 2-1 advantage in the best of seven series with two games remaining in Texas. But should the series go a full seven games, Lohse is the Cardinals scheduled starter for the decisive Game 7. While not directly addressing the possibility following Saturday's game, it would be hard for one to imagine La Russa and company having full confidence in a pitcher with a 7.82 ERA in three postseason starts taking the ball in a season-deciding game. And Lohse can be added to the list of those searching for answers to his postseason struggles. "I don't know," Lohse said. "If I knew I would fix it. "It's tough man. It's the playoffs. You aren't going to get that chance to work through a rough inning and you know that going in. I just wish I had another shot at it." Whether he gets it or not remains to be seen.