St. Louis Cardinals Colby Rasmus climbs the centerfield wall in an effort to get to a ball hit by Chicago Cubs Derrek Lee but with no success as the ball went for a solo home run in the first inning at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on August 15, 2010. Chicago won the game 9-7. UPI/Bill Greenblatt
The St. Louis Cardinals scored five runs in the ninth inning, but it was too little, too late as they fell to the Chicago Cubs for the second game in a row, losing 9-7 Sunday afternoon and falling out of first place in the NL Central.
It was a disasterous fourth inning for the Cardinals and starter Kyle Lohse, making his first start since May. He was pulled in the fourth inning and was charged with seven runs. Derek Lee had a monster series for Chicago, hitting two more homers. In that fourth inning, the Cubs sent 12 hitters to the plate and the first six reached base safely. Lohse gave up three singles, a double and a walk without retiring a hitter.
Albert Pujols hit a solo homer in the first inning off winner Ryan Dempster to become the first player in major league history to hit 30+ homers in his first 10 seasons.
With the loss, the Cardinals fall back into second place one game behind Cincinnati.
