ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kyle Lohse is all about efficiency, about avoiding extended at-bats and letting the hitters get themselves out. The St. Louis Cardinals are in a spot where they could really use that kind of game. The 16-game winner can pitch his team to the lead today (Wednesday), with the NL championship series against the San Francisco Giants tied 1-1.

St. Louis has gone three straight games without a starter getting an out in the fifth inning. Lohse gets a chance to end that troubling trend when he faces Matt Cain in a matchup of 16-game winners. The game carries more of the usual Game 3 buzz due to the uncertainty of Marco Scutaro’s availability after getting rammed by Matt Holliday while busting up a double play on Monday night. A person with knowledge of the injury told the Associated Press that Scutaro strained his left hip.