Former first-round pick Mark Rogers makes his second start of 2012 and just the fourth of his career tonight, when the Milwaukee Brewers continue a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
St. Louis took the opener on Friday at Busch Stadium, as Yadier Molina tallied three hits and two runs scored, while Daniel Descalso added two hits, two RBI and a run scored in a 9-3 triumph.
Joe Kelly (2-4) slapped the go-ahead RBI single in the fourth and surrendered three runs on 10 hits and two walks in 5 2/3 frames for the Cardinals, who have won seven of their last 10 contests.
"He learned how to pitch when he didn't have his best stuff," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "He did a nice job of getting himself out of trouble."
Randy Wolf (3-8) had a two-run single for Milwaukee, but allowed five runs on nine hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. The Brewers had their three-game winning streak snapped.
"We let them run away from us," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "Instead of keeping it close and making the plays, we let them have extra opportunities."
Rogers, a 26-year-old native of Maine, was the fifth overall pick by the Brewers in 2004 and debuted in the majors with them in 2010.
He posted a 1.80 earned run average across 10 innings in four appearances, then split 2011 between three levels of the minors while going 0-5 with a 9.34 ERA.
He made 18 starts at Triple-A Nashville of the Pacific Coast League this season and was 6-6 before heading up to Milwaukee, where he got a no-decision on July 29 after tossing 5 2/3 innings against Washington.
The Brewers lost the game, 11-10, but Rogers only allowed two runs on six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.
He has never faced the Cardinals.
St. Louis counters with right-hander Adam Wainwright, who's 1-2 with a no- decision in four starts since the All-Star break.
The 30-year-old, who won 39 games in 2009-2010 before an injury shelved him for all of 2011, was 7-8 before the break before returning with consecutive losses at Cincinnati and Milwaukee on July 13 and 18.
He defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 24 and got a no-decision at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs in his most recent outing on July 29.
He's 7-6 in 23 career meetings with the Brewers including the July 18 game, which saw him drop a 4-3 verdict after allowing an earned run on four hits in seven innings while walking none and striking out nine.
St. Louis has won six of 10 games with the Brewers in 2012, including two of three in a series at Busch Stadium in July.
The teams split 18 games last season and Milwaukee last won the season series in 2010.
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