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STL@PIT: Lohse fires seven quality innings

If not for a blown save in his third outing, it's likely Kyle Lohse would have been the league's first four-game winner and not teammate Lance Lynn.

On Saturday, Lohse gets the chance to join Lynn atop the wins leaderboard when the first-place Cardinals take on the Brewers at Busch Stadium.

Righty Marco Estrada looks to stop the bleeding for the Brewers' pitchers, who are becoming a bit of a punching bag for St. Louis these days. The Cards dominated the Brewers' arms in the National League Championship Series last year and in four games this season, they've banged out 33 runs -- including 13 on Friday night.

Estrada is 0-1 with a 6.14 ERA in five career relief appearances against the Cardinals. This season, he's posted a 2.45 ERA without a decision.

It's Estrada's second start of the season, filling in for righty Chris Narveson, who is out for the year.

St. Louis center fielder Jon Jay returned to the Cardinals' lineup on Friday after missing a week with a shoulder injury sustained in a collision with the outfield wall.

It's an important stretch for Jay and the Cardinals, who are in the midst of 27 straight games against NL Central opponents. Thus far, they have posted a 13-7 record.

"I don't think that's a bad thing," Cards manager Mike Matheny said of all the divisional games. "You know what you're up against. It kind of gives you a first look with who we're going to be fighting it out for the division."

The Cardinals have at least twice as many division wins as any other NL Central team. What are Matheny's initial thoughts on his competition?

"Got some good pitching in the Central," he said. "It just seems like every day we have guys on the mound that have really good stuff. We've got to be prepared to scratch and claw and do anything we can to get runs.

Brewers: Roenicke shuffles rotation
The season-ending shoulder injury to Narveson forced manager Ron Roenicke to shuffle his rotation a bit in order to include Estrada. He opted to give Zack Greinke an extra day's rest. Greinke will pitch on Sunday.

• Brewers first baseman Mat Gamel returned to the lineup Friday night, going 0-for-4. Gamel is hitting .262 with one home run and six RBIs, and missed the two previous games with a sore left shoulder he sustained in a collision at the plate on Monday.

Cardinals: Carpenter timetable uncertain
Injured right-hander Chris Carpenter shed no new light on when he might resume throwing, noting no one is sure just yet.

"I feel like my arm is stronger," he said. "I'm regaining strength. I just don't know when I'm going to pitch."

• The Cardinals have outscored their opponents by a total of 47 runs this season -- the most in the National League.

Worth noting
• Heading into Friday's game, the Brewers and Cardinals ranked 1-2 in the National League in home runs. The Brewers have 27 to the Cardinals' 22, but despite putting up a combined 14 runs Friday, none resulted from long balls.

• Lohse is 4-8 with a 4.80 ERA in 20 lifetime appearances against the Brewers.

• Corey Hart is 4-for-9 with three homers against the Cards this season.

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