Adam Wainwright has steadfastly tried to keep his chin up during this challenging season, but that’s becoming more and more difficult for the longtime St. Louis Cardinals pitcher.
Wainwright (9-8) received little support from his defense Thursday night in a 10-6 loss to the New York Mets. He allowed seven runs, but only two were earned.
Wainwright, who surrendered nine hits in five innings, has been raked for a season-high 25 runs (20 earned), more than in any other month of his career, in five August starts covering 24 innings. He has failed to pitch beyond six innings in seven of his last eight starts.
“It’s another game we lose that I start,” Wainwright said. “It’s frustrating. I don’t know what else to say other than that I’ve just got to keep going.”
For now, Wainwright isn’t sure what he needs to repair.
Chuckling, he said: “Let’s wait until next game.”
Wainwright limited the Mets to one run in the second. In the fourth, third baseman Jhonny Peralta, positioned in the hole between third and second, booted a roller by Curtis Granderson. Wilmer Flores doubled Granderson to third and Alejandro De Aza followed with a two-run single to make it 3-0.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, could do nothing with Mets rookie right-hander Seth Lugo, who departed after five innings because of cramping in his right calf.
Everything unravelled in the fifth for Wainwright. With two on and two out, Flores hit a grounder to shortstop Greg Garcia, who misplayed it into a run. De Aza then lined an 0-1 pitch over the wall in right for a three-run homer that made it 7-0.
“It’s been a tough season,” Wainwright said.
Earlier in the fifth, replays confirmed third-base umpire Mike Muchlinski’s call that Yoenis Cespedes was safe at third base after a bloop single to left by James Loney.
Wainwright appeared to make the tag on Cespedes, but Cespedes jarred the glove off Wainwright’s left hand.
“(Muchlinski) said you’ve got to show possession,” Wainwright said. “When I pulled out of the glove, it’s basically the same thing as losing the ball. ... That’s the way it’s been going.
“I’ve been frustrated for a while. I try not to show too much emotion, but it’s not healthy to leave it all in there, either. I don’t know what else to say. It wasn’t my night. I’ve just got to keep going and good things are going to happen. The only way it’s not going to turn around is if I get down on myself, which I will never allow myself to do.”
Curtis Granderson then struck out, but Garcia’s error and De Aza’s home run put the Cardinals in a hole that couldn’t be overcome despite four home runs in the final four innings.
Brandon Moss hit No. 24 in the sixth to make it 7-2, and No. 25 in the eighth to make it 8-3. Jedd Gyorko walloped his 21st homer in the ninth to make it 10-5, and Stephen Piscotty powered No. 20 in the ninth to make it 10-6.

Other RESULTS
Tampa Bay                 2  Boston                                    1
Detroit                       8  Minnesota                               5
Washington                4  Baltimore                                0
LA Angels                   6  Toronto                                   3
Kansas City                 5   Miami                                    2
Texas                         9  Cleveland                                0
Pittsburgh                   3  Milwaukee              2 (10 innings)
Chicago White Sox       7  Seattle                                    6
Atlanta                        3 Arizona                                    1
San Francisco              4 LA Dodgers                               0