LOS ANGELES • The runs came fast and welcome in the first inning, but the Cardinals couldn’t outrun who they’ve been for another eight innings Thursday.
The flaws they’ve had, big and small, cascaded on the Cardinals in a 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and this time there wasn’t a starting pitcher throwing zeroes to help them. Michael Wacha was out of the game before the end of the fifth inning. The bullpen was dodging its potholes by the fifth inning, and despite the optimistic start for the offense it went silent after the first inning.