Villanueva roughed up in Cubs 10-4 loss to Cardinals

Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

What started out looking great for the Cubs quickly turned into an afternoon nightmare as the Cardinals (6-5) pounded out 13 hits in a 10-4 win over the Chicago Cubs (4-7) that evened their three-game set this afternoon at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Junior Lake hit the first pitch of the game deep into the left-field seats off Cards starter Adam Wainwright (2-1) to give the Cubs an early 1-0 lead. It was Lake’s second this season.

Then the wheels fell off.

Matt Adams hit a lead-off home run in 10-4the second – his first of the season – that tied it 1-1. Daniel Descalso singled in the go-ahead run and the Cards never looked back, plating two more for a 3-1 lead after the second.

Starlin Castro hit an RBI ground out to score Anthony Rizzo in the fourth to make it 4-2, but the Cards put up a five-spot in the bottom of the inning to chase Cubs’ starter Carlos Villanueva (1-3) off the mound.

Villanueva gave up nine earned runs on 10 hits and saw his ERA shoot up to 11.57 over three-plus innings.

In the sixth, Nate Schierholtz and Ryan Sweeney hit back-to-back doubles for two more runs for the Cubs. Schierholtz double was his sixth hit this series.

Chris Rusin, who joined the team’s 25-man roster this afternoon, went the rest of the way and only surrendered one run on three hits over five innings. After the game, Rusin was optioned to Triple-A, which means Blake Parker will likely take his spot on the 25-man roster.

The rubber game of the series will be tomorrow afternoon with the Cubs sending Edwin Jackson (0-0, 6.30 ERA) to the mound. The Cards will counter with youngster Michael Wacha (1-0, 0.71 ERA). First pitch will be 1:15 p.m. CST and the game will be broadcasted on WGN-TV and WGN 720-AM.