GatewayRedbirds.com

The defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals are looking to build on their first series win of 2012.

So are the Cincinnati Reds, who were the last team to take a series from the Cardinals.

St. Louis continues its season-opening road trip Monday night when these clubs renew their NL Central rivalry.

After defeating Miami 4-1 on Wednesday to open Marlins Park, the Cardinals (3-1) won two of three from Milwaukee over the weekend in a rematch of last season’s NLCS.

Manager Mike Matheny started Tyler Greene, Matt Carpenter, Tony Cruz and Shane Robinson in Sunday’s 9-3 victory.

“That does take a lot off of the long haul of the season, being able to have those days where you can throw that lineup out there and know they’re going to be able to put up some runs,” Matheny said.

St. Louis, though, is hoping for better production in Cincinnati after hitting .207 while losing five of six there in 2011.

Monday’s starter Jake Westbrook didn’t play much of a role in the Cardinals’ playoff run in 2011 - making two relief appearances in the World Series - but the veteran right-hander is hoping to be a major factor this season.

Westbrook will make his season debut weighing about 20 pounds less than in 2011 when he finished 12-9 with a 4.66 ERA.

“I feel lighter. I feel healthier. I actually feel stronger,” he told the Cardinals’ official website during spring training.

Westbrook, though, doesn’t have history on his side to start the season, as his 4.96 ERA in April is his worst in any month.

Still, his best start in three appearances against the Reds last season was on April 24 when he threw six strong innings in a 3-0 home win.

Westbrook should be careful pitching to Reds right fielder Jay Bruce, who has three homers after hitting two in Sunday’s 6-5 victory over Miami.

New Cardinal Carlos Beltran hit .158 (3 for 19) against the Reds last season while with San Francisco and the New York Mets, but he’s off to a quick start with seven hits - including two home runs - in 18 at-bats.

David Freese, the 2011 NLCS and World Series MVP, is hitting .421 (8 for 19) with a homer and six RBIs. He was 1 for 10 as the Cardinals dropped two of three in their last series in Cincinnati from July 15-17.

MILWAUKEE (AP)—With a dominant performance against a division rival, Lance Lynn gave the St. Louis Cardinals a big reason to believe they can count on him to help make up for Chris Carpenter’s absence.

Lynn pitched two-hit ball into the seventh inning and the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-3 on Sunday, taking two out of three games in the series.

It was the third career start for Lynn (1-0), who played a key relief role during the Cardinals’ championship run last season. The 24-year-old right-hander was added to the rotation after Carpenter went on the disabled list with a nerve ailment in his throwing shoulder this spring.

“It’s still early, so hopefully I can build off what I did today and keep pitching well,” Lynn said. “Hopefully it gives us confidence that with Carp out for the time that he’s out, we can still win ballgames, and they have confidence in me.”

Manager Mike Matheny said the Cardinals aren’t the same team without Carpenter, but Lynn’s performance was just about the best they could hope for under the circumstances.

“We know what (Carpenter) brings to this team,” Matheny said. “But when the game deals you what it deals you, you hope somebody steps up.”

Lynn said he’s comfortable as a starter because he has been one for most of his career.

“Relieving was fun and I enjoyed it because I got to pitch in a lot of big situations and big games,” Lynn said. “That’s always fun, as a competitor you enjoy those situations, enjoy those challenges. I see this as a new challenge.”

Lynn gave up one run and struck out eight, a career high, while walking only one in 6 2-3 innings. He also picked Braun off first base to end the first and singled in the fourth for his first career hit.

“I got lucky, I guess,” Lynn said.

Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, his second of the season. Shane Robinson added a three-run shot in the ninth, the first homer of his career.

Matheny made several lineup changes for Sunday’s game, starting Tyler Greene at second base, Matt Carpenter at first, Tony Cruz at catcher and Robinson in center field. Even without a few of their regular players, the Cardinals managed to give Wolf some trouble.

“That does take a lot off of the long haul of the season, being able to have those days where you can throw that lineup out there and know they’re going to be able to put up some runs,” Matheny said.

The defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals are looking to build on their first series win of 2012.

La Russa i hate u wats ur love affair with suchmaker, craig is a beast dont u get it ugh...

I guess the single game in Miami wasn't a series, but it has to count for something, doesn't it?

Q: What year is it?
A: Ty Wigginton

Jake westbrook vs. Patrick bateman

Giving up before you have to is stupid.

Derrick Goold ‏ @dgoold
Lance Berkman not in the lineup for second consecutive day. Having a hand soreness evaluated by team trainers. #stlcards #cardinals

Three of them involve jokes. They are a handy comedic prop.

Once I needed to scare away a groundhog, and had nothing else at my disposal.

And once I needed to make some money to pay my rent, so I made a deposit.