Although Matt Holliday is reaching base at a historic pace, the St. Louis Cardinals are having trouble delivering a timely hit.
As the outfielder closes in on the franchise's record on-base streak, the Cardinals will try to avoid losing consecutive home games for only the second time Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers.
After missing one start due to the flu, Holliday singled and walked in Monday's 1-0 loss to extend his NL record by reaching base in a 45th straight game to open the season. Derek Jeter set the MLB mark of 53 games in 1999.
The six-time All-Star can now tie Ray Sanders (1944), Solly Hemus (1953) and Albert Pujols (2001) for St. Louis' fourth-best on-base streak since 1914 at 48 dating to last season. Stan Musial still holds the team record of 55, set in 1943.
Holliday appears poised to continue his run, reaching base in 24 consecutive home games versus Milwaukee (18-34).
His eighth-inning single put runners on first and third with one out Monday, but Jhonny Peralta and Yadier Molina struck out against Jeremy Jeffress to end the threat.
The Cardinals went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, leaving them 6 for 37 (.162) in those spots while totaling 11 runs over their last five games. They've lost back-to-back games only once at Busch Stadium -- May 15-16 against Detroit.
"We're going a good job of putting ourselves in those situations -- that's all you can ask for," outfielder Jason Heyward said.
St. Louis (33-18) certainly hasn't done much to help Lance Lynn (3-4, 3.41 ERA), who ranks near the bottom of the NL with a 2.82 run-support average. Lynn, though, hasn't been as sharp since allowing one run in winning two straight starts in mid-May.
The right-hander gave up five runs and 10 hits in six innings in a 5-0 loss at Kansas City on May 22, before yielding three runs and issuing four walks over six on Wednesday. He did not get a decision in that 4-3 home win over Arizona.
Lynn had been 4-0 with a 1.49 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings over his previous seven outings versus Milwaukee before surrendering a season-high six runs and 10 hits over five innings in a 6-3 road loss April 26.
He's 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last four home meetings after allowing one run over five innings in a 4-2 victory April 15.
Adam Lind hit a two-run homer in Milwaukee's victory, but that's his only hit in eight at-bats in the matchup. Lind is expected to return to the lineup after being limited to pinch-hit duty the past two games due to a sore back.
Gerardo Parra should be pleased to see Lynn since he's 11 for 22 with two homers, three triples and four doubles off him. However, Carlos Gomez is 3 for 22 with 12 strikeouts and Aramis Ramirez is 3 for 26.
The Brewers are batting a major league-worst .227 after Gomez had two of the team's six hits and the lone RBI on Monday.
Still, they're seeking a season high-tying third straight win as right-hander Tyler Cravy makes his debut. Cravy, who was 5-4 with a 4.04 ERA in nine starts at Triple A Colorado Springs, got the call because Matt Garza was used in Sunday's 17-inning win.
"We need to keep it up, and hopefully, we can do it again tomorrow," Monday's winning pitcher Mike Fiers said.
