played through showers for most of Saturdays game, some forecast

ST. LOUIS -- While the St. Louis Cardinals continued their recent trend of solid to outstanding work from their starting pitchers on Saturday, the Milwaukee Brewers kept moving the needle in the wrong direction.Adam Wainwrights seven shutout innings gave St. Louis a 3-0 win and deepened Milwaukees recent skid offensively. In losing three straight games, the Brewers have managed just two runs.Weather permitting, Milwaukee will try to figure things out against the Cardinals in Sundays series finale at Busch Stadium.Were in a little bit of a funk offensively, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. Were just in one of those couple-day stretches of struggling to get things going and create opportunities.St. Louis (42-38) has tended to do that to Milwaukee (35-45) in recent years. It owns a 6-2 advantage in this years season series, outscoring it by 48-14, and is 45-20 against the Brewers, dating to the start of the 2013 season.But a 90 percent chance of rain might present Milwaukee with a temporary reprieve. While the teams played through showers for most of Saturdays game, some forecasts are calling for as many as 2/3 inches of rain Sunday.Nothing could dampen the Cardinals mood after perhaps their best defensive game of the season. They turned four double plays, used a nifty deke at second base to steal an eighth-inning out and denied at least two hits with outstanding plays to turn hard-hit balls into outs.It was a stark contrast from their previous three games, in which they made eight errors and other mental mistakes.Just good plays all the way around, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. Being able to trust your defense is one of those confidence-boosters for your pitching staff. They dont have to be perfect.Michael Wacha (4-7, 4.42 ERA) gets the call for the Cardinals on Sunday. He has pitched well in his last four starts, all of them quality, and has won two straight outings, including an 8-4 verdict on Tuesday night in Kansas City.Wacha, who lost seven straight decisions from April 23 to June 22, has displayed much better command lately. He has hit the lower parts of the strike zone with his fastball, enabling him to use his changeup as a wipeout pitch.Wacha, whos 3-0 with a 4.22 ERA in five career outings against the Brewers, will be opposed by right-hander Chase Anderson (4-8, 5.45). Hes coming off a 6-5 loss on Tuesday night to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who rocked him for eight hits and six runs (five earned) in four innings.That outing actually qualifies as an improvement of sorts for Anderson, who has been hit so hard in his last three starts that his ERA during that span dropped to 12.71 after Tuesday night. But he has enjoyed good outings in his two career starts against St. Louis, allowing only two earned runs in 12 innings.Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina is expected to make his 73rd start in 81 games and is looking to build on his 1,500th career hit that he accomplished in the fourth inning Saturday.Hes been one of the greatest Cardinals ever, Wainwright said of his longtime battery mate. We were excited for him. Salomon Shoes NZ . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. Salomon Shoes NZ Online . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. http://www.clearancesalomonnz.com/ .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Kevin Porter and defenceman Chad Ruhwedel from the minors as part of a five-player roster shuffle made by the NHLs worst team. Wholesale Salomon Shoes NZ Free Shipping . Team physician Dr. Steve Traina performed the surgery Friday. Robinson was injured in a spill underneath the Nuggets basket during the first quarter of Wednesday nights loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Cheap Shoes NZ For Sale .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. CHICAGO -- Marian Hossa scored at 4:31 of overtime, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Dallas Stars 4-3 on Sunday night for their sixth consecutive victory.Jonathan Toews had a goal and two assists and NHL MVP Patrick Kane scored for the third time in four games, helping the Blackhawks sweep the home-and-home set with the Stars. Kane had a goal and an assist in Saturday nights 3-2 victory in Dallas.The Stars had a power-play opportunity in overtime, but Scott Darling made a great kick save on Patrick Eaves to help kill it. Hossa then drove one by Kari Lehtonen for his sixth of the season.Darling, subbing for red-hot starter Corey Crawford, made 32 stops as the Blackhawks improved to 7-1-1 at home. Artem Anisimov also scored for Chicago.Gemel Smith scored his first two NHL goals for Dallas, and Tyler Seguin also scored in the opener of a five-game road trip.Lehtonen finished with 29 stops.OILERS 2, RED WINGS 1DETROIT -- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored a go-ahead goal late in the second period on an assist from Connor McDavid, giving Edmonton a win over Detroit.Edmontons Jonas Gustavsson made 22 saves and Tyler Pitlick scored a tying goal for the Oilers late in the first period.The Pacific Division-leading Oilers have won two straight, playing their first set of back-to-back games this season, after losing three in a row.Justin Abdelkader put the Red Wings up 1-0 midway through the first period on a power play, and Jimmy Howard made 26 saves.Detroit has lost five straight after winning six consecutive games.RANGERS 5, JETS 2NEW YORK -- J.T. Miller, Jesper Fast and Pavel Buchnevich scored 4:04 apart late in the second period to lead New York over Winnipeg for its fifth straight victory.Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello also scorred, Kevin Klein and Brandon Pirri had two assists and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots as New York won for the eighth time in nine games.dddddddddddd. The Rangers, who lead the NHL with 55 goals and 4.23 per game, have scored at least five in each game of their winning streak.Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele scored for Winnipeg, which has lost four of its last five (1-3-1). Connor Hellebuyck started and gave up four goals on 16 shots before he was replaced late in the second period by Michael Hutchinson, who finished with one save.BLUES 5, AVALANCHE 1ST. LOUIS -- Robby Fabbri and Jori Lehtera each scored in the first 3:35 and St. Louis beat Colorado.St. Louis entered with 26 goals in 12 games this season and hadnt scored more than two goals in any of its past six games.The Blues have won 10 of their last 12 games against Colorado dating to April 2011. Jake Allen stopped 22 shots for St. Louis.Matt Duchene got his sixth goal for Colorado. Semyon Varlamov stopped 20 of 25 shots, and Calvin Pickard had three saves in the third period for the Avs.DEVILS 4, HURRICANES 1RALEIGH, N.C. -- Michael Cammalleri got his first three goals of the season, lifting New Jersey over Carolina for its first road victory.Cammalleri scored twice in the second period and again midway through the third for his sixth career hat trick. Captain Andy Greene scored into an empty net for New Jersey.The Devils improve to 1-3-2 away from home. Keith Kinkaid got his first win of the season behind 33 saves.Carolinas Andrej Nestrasil scored with 6:59 left in the third period. Eddie Lack stopped 17 shots in his first home start. ' ' '