(Best E Casino) - Todd Wellemeyer tries to follow up Kyle Lohse's brilliant performance of the previous night when the St. Louis Cardinals play the middle test of their three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates this evening at PNC Park.

Lohse (11-2) gave up six hits over seven scoreless innings to run his unbeaten streak to 12 games in St. Louis' 6-0 victory over the Pirates on Friday. Rick Ankiel was 3-for-3 with a two-run homer and Ryan Ludwick chipped in a solo home run for the Cardinals, who halted their two-game slide.

All six of St. Louis' runs came with two outs.

Pittsburgh's Zach Duke (4-6) took the loss after he was touched for five runs on 10 hits in six frames. Nate McLouth had a double which was the only extra- base hit for the Pirates, who have dropped two of three.

Wellemeyer, meanwhile, has dropped his last three decisions and is 7-4 with a 3.94 earned run average on the year. His latest loss came on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, as he surrendered three runs and nine hits in five innings.

The 29-year-old righty has defeated the Pirates twice already this season and is 3-1 with a 3.03 ERA lifetime against them.

Pittsburgh will counter with Cuban right-hander Yoslan Herrera, who will be making his major-league debut in place of the injured Phil Dumatrait. Dumatrait had been scheduled to start tonight's tilt, but was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday with bursitis in his left shoulder.

Herrera, who signed a $1.92 million, three-year contract with the Pirates before the 2007 season, had been 5-8 with a 3.11 ERA in 17 starts at Double-A Altoona. He also won a spot start with Triple-A Indianapolis back in late June.

St. Louis has split its 10 matchups with the Pirates this season and has won nine of its last 12 in the Steel City dating back to last season.