The St. Louis Cardinals totaled 15 runs in their six-game trip to open the second half. They threatened that total in a single inning against the Chicago Cubs.

Jake Westbrook worked seven innings of three-hit ball and the Cardinals finally backed him – and then some – by tying a 76-year-old major league record with seven doubles in seventh inning of a 12-0 victory on Saturday night.

”I knew my spot was coming up hitting so I knew I was probably done,” Westbrook said. ”I just wanted to hopefully get some runs there, and we did. It was a fun inning.”

Rafael Furcal’s go-ahead single in the seventh turned out to be a mere appetizer as the Cardinals also matched an 86-year-old franchise record for runs in an inning. St. Louis totaled 10 hits with multiple hits by three players including pinch-hitter Allen Craig, who doubled twice with an RBI.

”It was crazy. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that in the big leagues,” Craig said. ”I came into the game in a big spot and I was glad I could make something happen, and the rest of the guys took it from there.”

The Cardinals managed five hits the first six innings before jumping on Justin Germano (0-1) and three other relievers. They tied the major record for doubles in an inning by the Boston Bees at St. Louis in the first inning of Game 1 of a doubleheader on Aug. 25, 1936.

They tied the franchise record for runs in an inning set Sept. 16, 1926, against the Phillies, in the third inning of the opener of a doubleheader in Philadelphia.

”We’ve had some against us that felt like 12,” manager Mike Matheny said. ”You look at this offense and they can come in bundles.

”It’s nice to see the guys, too, just keep putting good at-bats together no matter how many runs we’ve had or how many hits they’ve had already.”

The Cardinals totaled nine doubles for the first time in franchise history since setting a modern major league record with 13 doubles on July 12, 1931, against the Cubs.

Cubs starter Matt Garza was taken out after three scoreless innings with cramping in his right triceps, an injury that wasn’t obvious and prompted speculation that he had been traded. The Cubs added a bit of intrigue, waiting until the bottom of the sixth to announce the injury and the fact X-rays – as a precaution for possible elbow issues – were negative.

”The trade thing, I’m not so concerned about that,” Garza said. ”I’d rather go out there and throw eight or nine (innings) than come in here and say, ”I can’t throw the ball.”’

Germano got unlimited warmups in the fourth, an indication he was entering because of an injury or ejection, although the rule book also allows for an unspecified sudden emergency. Germano allowed a run in three-plus innings before the roof caved in on the Cubs, who allowed 12 runs in an inning for the first time since July 30, 2010, at Colorado.

James Russell gave up a career-high six runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning. Manuel Corpas gave up four runs without getting an out, surrendering three doubles and a walk.

”Russell’s our setup guy,” manager Dale Sveum said. ”He’s got a long four months basically without a hiccup like that, and those things will happen.

”Unfortunately, it was a nothing-nothing game.”

Previously, the Cubs hadn’t allowed more than six runs in a single inning. The Cardinals topped their previous season best of eight runs April 27 against the Brewers.

Westbrook (8-8) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first, falling behind 3-0 in the count against Geovany Soto before inducing a groundout. The sinkerballer permitted only two baserunners his last six innings, a leadoff single by David DeJesus in the third and a walk by Luis Valbuena in the fifth, and neither of them made it second.

”The first couple of innings, I was a little erratic, I might have been a little geeked up,” Westbrook said. ”After that, I felt really strong.”

— Associated Press —

Ryan Dempster’s 33-inning scoreless streak was over after four at-bats. The unanticipated early cushion was plenty for Kyle Lohse.

Lohse worked seven strong innings with less than his best and the St. Louis Cardinals’ slumbering offense opened with three quick runs against Dempster in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.

”You get behind the 8-ball really quick,” Dempster said. ”After that, I feel like I settled down and made some pitches – other than Matt Holliday hitting one off the Arch.”

Holliday added a home run estimated at 469 feet, the longest at 7-year-old Busch Stadium, in the third inning. He remembers hitting one once in batting practice at Dodger Stadium, but not in a game.

”Honestly, I didn’t want to watch it because I have a lot of respect for Ryan,” Holliday said. ”I got it good.”

Lohse (10-2) won his fourth straight decision over five starts to complement a lineup that topped three runs for the first time in 12 games. The defending World Series champions found an unlikely victim in Dempster (5-4) after totaling 15 runs and going 8 for 51 (.157) with runners scoring position on a 1-5 trip that left them five games back in the NL Central to start the day.

”We were fortunate to have him make some mistakes early, get us a lead like that,” Lohse said. ”I wasn’t counting on him giving up any more after that.

”It’s always tough when you know someone like that is on the other side.”

Dempster hadn’t allowed a run since May 30 while winning five straight starts and entered with a major league-best 1.86 ERA before running into immediate trouble, giving up four straight singles in a span of six pitches with one out. Carlos Beltran and Yadier Molina each had an RBI single and Lance Berkman drove in a run with a groundout.

”I know he’s been pitching great and all that, but our plan was to try to get on base and score early,” Beltran said. ”Offensively, we have wasted a lot of opportunities, but right now we’re focusing on trying to do better.”

Dempster allowed four runs in six innings while under heavy scrutiny from several teams looking to make a deal before the trade deadline. The streak was the majors’ longest since the Phillies’ Cliff Lee had a 34-inning run last year, and it was the Cubs’ longest since Ken Holtzman also had a 33-inning streak in 1969.

”It was a lot of fun to go up there and do that,” Dempster said. ”It’s a humbling thing to try and take something that you dream about doing. But actually doing it is another thing. I’m very proud of that.”

Dempster said trade rumors have nothing to do with what happened in the first inning.

”Not at all,” he said. ”Really, it was just about a span of six pitches, and next thing you know it was 3-0.

”Sometimes they could have popped those pitches up, grounded them out or flown out. But they didn’t. They hit them really hard and got some base hits.”

Seven straight Cardinals were retired before Holliday’s one-out clout in the third that soared past Big Mac Land in left field and traveled 4 feet longer than Albert Pujols’ drive over the bleachers behind the visitor’s bullpen in left against the Rockies’ Esmil Rogers last Aug. 14.

According to ESPN Home Run Tracker, Holliday’s homer is tied for the fifth-longest in the majors this year. It was his 15th of the year and first since he connected in consecutive games July 2-3 against the Rockies.

The Cardinals worked Dempster for 32 pitches in the third, including a nine-pitch walk by David Freese to load the bases, but came up empty when Rafael Furcal broke his bat on a liner to second.

The Cubs lost for the 11th time in their last 15 games in St. Louis.

Manager Mike Matheny juggled the lineup with Skip Schumaker, who entered a .431 career hitter against Dempster, at the top and Furcal dropped to eighth for the first time this season. Schumaker took a called third strike to open the first and was 1 for 4 while Furcal had two hits.

Lohse has won 13 of his last 15 starts dating to last season, according to STATS LLC. He worked seven or more innings for the seventh time in eight starts, allowing a run on six hits with four strikeouts, all but one looking.

”It was one of those days that was kind of just a low-energy day,” Lohse said. ”I knew warming up I was going to have to grind through it and make some pitches, and that’s pretty much what I did.”

The Cubs opened the second with a walk by Bryan LaHair, a single by Steve Clevenger and a sacrifice fly by Darwin Barney. They had only two runners in scoring position against Lohse, and were a collective 2 for 15 with men on.

Tyler Greene is 0 for 13 as a pinch hitter after taking a called third strike from Scott Maine with runners on second and third to end the Cardinals’ eighth.

Jason Motte worked a perfect ninth for his 21st save in 25 chances, and first in three chances against the Cubs. He needed just six pitches.

”I got ’em,” Motte said. ”That’s all that matters.”

— Associated Press —

Once again, Francisco Rodriguez flirted with trouble in the ninth inning.

For the second game in a row, the Milwaukee Brewers’ new closer managed to pitch out of a jam to nail down a save.

Given a two-run lead to start the ninth, Rodriguez loaded the bases and walked in a run before getting Lance Berkman to fly out and preserve a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

Rodriguez also had a shaky outing in Tuesday night’s win, but he’s still 2 for 2 since taking over for deposed closer John Axford.

”Just keep fighting, keep fighting,” Rodriguez said. ”I’m not going to give in, and I’m going to fight all the way until the end. That’s for sure.”

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke noted that Rodriguez may have been fatigued from his recent heavy workload, but also acknowledged that getting into – then out of – trouble is just part of his style.

”I’ve seen it so many years, and he just always seems to make the big pitches when he has to,” Roenicke said. ”And he continues to do it. Certainly, I’d rather we have clean innings. But I always feel confident that Frankie’s going to get out of it.”

Axford (3-6) claimed the win.

”He was sharp, his command was good,” Rodriguez said. ”He’s going to fight his way back.”

The Brewers took two out of three in the series with the Cardinals, who have lost five of six.

”Bottom line is, we’re not content in here with just fighting back,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. ”We’re content to do our jobs, which is to win games.”

Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright (7-10) got off to a rough start and didn’t get much help from his infielders, who committed three errors in the Brewers’ four-run first inning – including a pair by shortstop Rafael Furcal.

”You can’t really control what goes on behind you or anything else,” Wainwright said. ”You just have to make your next pitch and trust your defense.”

Brewers starter Tyler Thornburg went 4 2-3 innings, giving up two runs on a pair of solo homers. Thornburg was making his second career start after the Brewers decided to push Zack Greinke’s scheduled turn back to next week.

Thornburg had his big league debut against Toronto on June 19, a no-decision, and has made a relief appearance for the Brewers. Coming into Wednesday, he had given up five home runs in 7 1-3 innings.

Ryan Braun was not in the starting lineup for the Brewers after aggravating a nagging groin injury Tuesday night. He is expected to return for a weekend series at Cincinnati after an off day Thursday.

Norichika Aoki led off the game and reached on an error by Furcal, who charged a grounder but dropped it as he tried to get the ball out of his glove and make a throw. Nyjer Morgan then singled and Wainwright hit Aramis Ramirez on the left elbow with a 91-mph breaking ball. Ramirez stayed in the game, and Corey Hart hit a two-run single.

Wainwright then got two quick outs and appeared to be out of the inning when Carlos Gomez hit a grounder to Furcal – but Furcal’s throw to first was offline for his second error of the inning, allowing Ramirez to score. Berkman also was charged with an error on the play when he fell and lost the ball, allowing Hart to score and give the Brewers a 4-0 lead.

Wainwright recovered to go seven innings, giving up four runs – only one of which was earned – and four hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.

Home runs bit Thornburg again, as solo shots by David Freese in the second and Allen Craig in the third cut the lead to 4-2.

”There’s a difference when you’re behind in the count in the minor leagues and when you’re behind the count here,” Roenicke said. ”These guys don’t miss a good fastball. And I’m sure when he was at Double-A, Triple-A, he could throw the ball by guys.”

Thornburg was taken out of the game with two outs and a runner on first in the fifth, making way for Axford.

Axford lost the closer’s job to Rodriguez on Tuesday, in hopes that having Axford pitch in lower-pressure situations might help him sort out his struggles. Axford struck out Berkman to end the inning then gave up one hit in a scoreless sixth.

Axford praised Rodriguez’s performance.

”It looks like he’s bringing that mojo that we need back – get ourselves into trouble and get ourselves out of it,” Axford said. ”That’s what I had all last year, and hopefully he’s bringing that back.”

Although Rodriguez has taken over as closer, Roenicke said before the game that Axford ideally would be able to reclaim the job by the end of the season. For now, Axford is getting used to his new role and clearly hasn’t lost his sense of humor, noting that he wasn’t used to watching the sixth-inning ”racing sausage” mascot race from the dugout.

”They actually go a lot faster than you think,” Axford said.

— Associated Press —