Cards lose Schumaker, fall to Braves 10-7

Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman reacts after hitting a solo home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Wednesday, May 30, 2012, in Atlanta. Freeman, wearing new eyeglasses, was able to return to the lineup after missing several games with vision problems.
Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman reacts after hitting a solo home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Wednesday, May 30, 2012, in Atlanta. Freeman, wearing new eyeglasses, was able to return to the lineup after missing several games with vision problems.

ATLANTA (AP) - Skip Schumaker doesn't enjoy watching the St. Louis Cardinals add to their injury woes, particularly when he's the newest name on the list.

Schumaker suffered a hamstring injury he fears will send him to the disabled list during the Cardinals' 10-7 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night.

The Cardinals kept third baseman David Freese and outfielder Carlos Beltran out of the starting lineup due to injuries, while starting pitcher Jaime Garcia was back in St. Louis for an MRI on his sore right elbow.

Outfielders Jon Jay and Allen Craig, first basemen Lance Berkman and Matt Carpenter, and starting pitcher Chris Carpenter are the most prominent names already are on the DL.

"I've never seen anything like it," Schumaker said. "I was hoping I wouldn't be part of it. We have a very good team on the DL right now."

Schumaker will return to St. Louis for an MRI today.

"It's not good," said Schumaker, who started in right field. "If I had to guess, it's probably a DL thing."

Kyle Lohse allowed five runs on nine hits in five innings.

"It's tough to assess Lohse," said manager Mike Matheny. "The bottom line is, seven runs should win a lot of games. It's a hard one to swallow. You've got to do something different. That's all there is to it."

Freddie Freeman homered and drove in three runs while wearing his new glasses, and Brian McCann homered and drove in four runs for Atlanta.

The Braves recovered after blowing a 5-0 lead.

Freeman, who had missed four straight starts because of vision problems, was elated about receiving his new sports glasses before the game. He broke out of a slump with three hits: his eighth homer in the first, a run-scoring double in the third and run-scoring single in the eighth.

"I was surprised about how I hadn't played in a few days and was able to have my swing like that," Freeman said. "I wasn't worried about the glasses. I knew they were good."

The Braves, who snapped an eight-game losing streak Tuesday night, scored three runs in the sixth after the Cardinals rallied to tie it at 5. McCann had a two-run single in the inning.

Jonny Venters (3-2) recorded the last out of the sixth. Craig Kimbrel earned his 15th save.

The Braves broke a 5-5 tie with three runs on four hits off Mark Rzepczynski (0-3) in the sixth. Jack Wilson's double drove in Jose Constanza, who reached first on his third hit and moved to second on a wild pitch.

Wilson was caught in a run-down between third and home on Michael Bourn's grounder, but he kept the play going long enough for Bourn to advance to second. Following an intentional walk to Martin Prado, McCann drove in Bourn and Prado with a single for an 8-5 lead.

The Cardinals scored two runs off Eric O'Flaherty in the eighth off Shane Robinson's sacrifice fly and Beltran's pinch-hit infield single.

The Braves added two runs in the eighth off Jason Motte, who set up the inning with walks to Eric Hinske and Bourn. Dan Uggla drove in one with a sac fly and Freeman finished the scoring by knocking in Bourn.

Atlanta led 5-0 before the Cardinals managed their first hit.

McCann hit a two-run homer in the first. One out later, Freeman cleared the center-field wall off Kyle Lohse.

Notes: Matheny said the MRI on Garcia was clear. Garcia's scheduled start Friday at the Mets will be skipped. Matheny said Garcia, who had right elbow ligament-replacement surgery in 2008, said the elbow "just felt different." ... Freese, who did not start for the third straight game due to a sore right wrist, popped out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and remained in the game. ... Each team is off today. The Cardinals open a four-game series at the Mets on Friday with RHP Adam Wainwright facing Johan Santana.

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