(The Cardinal Nation Show) -- The Cardinals' defense, at the top of the charts statistically for much of the season in the National League, sprang a few leaks on Thursday. And a still laboring right-hander Adam Wainwright was unable to stem the tide as the Cardinals lost a 7-5 verdict to San Francisco.
Rookie Matt Carpenter, probably unfairly exposed to a giant right field in AT&T Park, missed connections with a carom off the wall in the first inning, allowing an extra base to San Francisco shortstop Brandon Crawford.
Then Carpenter failed on a diving attempt as Giants' catcher Buster Posey blooped a run-scoring single later in the first.
In fairness, Carpenter did make a leaping grab on a leadoff liner by right fielder Gregor Blanco.
First baseman Lance Berkman threw past Wainwright covering the bag on third baseman Emmanuel Burris' leadoff grounder in the second. That led to two unearned runs.
And then third baseman David Freese one-hopped a throw which Berkman was unable to corral in the sixth, as the Giants scored another two runs. The Cardinals had made only 19 errors in their first 37 games but had three on Thursday.
"That's not the kind of defense we're accustomed to seeing, and it's not the kind of defense we'll see the rest of the season," manager Mike Matheny said.
But Wainwright (2-5), who has suffered only one fewer loss than the other four pitchers in the rotation combined, still hasn't found the form by which he won 20 games in 2010 before suffering a season-ending elbow injury last spring.
The right-hander has walked nine in his last 10 innings over two games, including four in 5 2/3 innings on Thursday.
"My fastball command was almost good," Wainwright said. "Almost good is not good enough."
Associated Press
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