As the Cardinals continue a schedule overstuffed with games, the importance of winning against underwhelming opponents becomes greater.
The Cardinals whiffed on their chance in their previous homestand to devour wins from a losing team and instead dropped a doubleheader at home to the last-place team in their division, the Pirates.
Thursday's stings even worse.
The Cardinals took a two-run lead into the top of the seventh with a chance to get three outs and a doubleheader sweep of the reeling Detroit Tigers. They blew it, and lost Game 2, 6-3. The first five Tigers of the seventh inning reached base, and if throws to the plate from the mound weren't causing enough trouble, a throw from center fielder Harrison Bader to home plate put the Cardinals in a compromised spot.