ST. LOUIS _ The question coming out of Sunday's misspent afternoon at Busch Stadium isn't about how costly the 10-5 loss was to Cincinnati Reds for the Cardinals.
It's how many games it could cost in the new future.
For the third time in their previous five games, the Cardinals had to remove a reliever in the midst of an injury due to a physical ailment. Throw in the fact that the Cardinals had to call on Genesis Cabrera and Alex Reyes to handle middle innings, and the Cardinals could go into Monday's doubleheader at Miller Park without four key relievers: that duo and John Gant (groin) and Giovanny Gallegos (groin).
Gant was lifted in the middle of the seventh inning after facing one batter because of a sore right groin. The team described Gant as day to day, though he will be examined for the severity of the injury before the team leaves for Milwaukee on Sunday night.
After Gant left, the game went sideways on the Cardinals.
Andrew Miller walked in a run, and he allowed another run on a wild pitch. The Cardinals bullpen allowed seven runs total, seeing a 3-3 slog of a game come part as the Reds scored seven runs in the final four innings. The Cardinals had a 5-3 lead when Gant was in the game.
The Reds took the series, their first series win vs. Cardinals this year.
The Cardinals (20-20) cannot avoid the gravitational pull of .500.
