As they say, it takes a team effort to win games. For the Cardinals, their near-record-worst road start has also been an all-around effort, with one facet failing to perform on a near-daily basis away from home.
Monday's series-opening loss dropped the Cardinals to 2-12 in road games, the franchise's second-worst road start ever.
The Cardinals will attempt to pick up an exceedingly rare road win in Tuesday's 5:40 p.m. game, the second of four at Cincinnati.
This season on the road, if it's not one thing bedeviling the Cardinals, it's another.
On Monday, the Redbirds' bats let them down in a 3-1 defeat in which St. Louis managed five hits, its second-fewest of the season.
People are also reading…
Eight of St. Louis' 11 lowest hit totals have come on the road.
The Cardinals are hitting .239 on the road as compared with .289 at home.
Pitching has also played its part. Five of the team's seven games allowing seven or more runs were on the road.
With a 5.94 road ERA, the Cardinals rank second-worst in baseball and three runs worse than the team's home ERA, which is ninth-best.
Defense has also played a part at times in the road travails, as seven of the team's 11 unearned runs have come away from home.
As they look to turn things around starting Tuesday, right-hander Miles Mikolas (0-2, 5.70) takes the mound for the Cardinals. He has allowed a total of two earned runs in his last two road starts.
The Reds will send out right-hander Brady Singer (4-0, 3.62), a 28-year-old Floridian who hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any of his five starts.
The only time the Cardinals have had a road start this bad or worse: , the Redbirds started 1-13 but finished with an 86-68-1 mark.
The Cardinals are 12-17 overall and five games behind first-place Chicago.
The Reds, winners of five straight, are 16-13 and a game out of first.
Lineups
CARDINALS
1. Lars Nootbaar, RF
2. Masyn Winn, SS
3. Brendan Donovan, LF
4. Nolan Arenado, 3B
5. Willson Contreras, DH
6. Alec Burleson, 1B
7. Nolan Gorman, 2B
8. Yohel Pozo, C
9. Victor Scott II, CF
P: Miles Mikolas, RHP
REDS
1. TJ Friedl, CF
2. Matt McLain, 2B
3. Elly De La Cruz, SS
4. Gavin Lux, DH
5. Noelvi Marte, 3B
6. Spencer Steer, 1B
7. Jake Fraley, RF
8. Santiago Espinal, LF
9. Austin Wynns, C
P: Brady Singer, RHP
Injury report
Ivan Herrera, C (bone bruise): Catcher will run cutting and rounding sprints Tuesday and, if necessary Wednesday, to determine his readiness for game-speed action. He and the Cardinals hope that he'll begin a rehab assignment as soon as Thursday, and if Tuesday goes well he could travel Wednesday to join a minor-league affiliate and be in the lineup Thursday.  Updated April 28
Zack Thompson, LHP (lat strain):Â Lefty is making strides on his throwing program back in Jupiter, Florida, and he's nearing a schedule that will start to resemble spring training. Thompson went through multiple checkups and scans to monitor the healing of a tear in his lat on the left side, and they did not show any setback to delayed Thompson's scheduled move to the injured list. On April 7, Thompson was transferred to the 60-day IL. Updated April 23
