Cardinals fall to Tigers in 10 innings

~ St. Louis lost 2-1 and dropped the series

DETROIT -- Kyle Lohse gave the St. Louis Cardinals another impressive start -- except for one pitch.

"I was going to bounce a breaking ball," the right-hander said. "Unfortunately, I missed bouncing it by about four feet and Prince killed it."

Lohse allowed a 425-foot homer to Prince Fielder in the fourth inning, and the Cardinals went on to lose 2-1 to Detroit in 10 innings Thursday. Quintin Berry's bases-loaded single won it for the Tigers.

Ramon Santiago and Jhonny Peralta started the winning rally with one-out singles off Victor Marte (0-1), who then grazed Austin Jackson's jersey with a pitch. Berry followed with a base hit up the middle through a drawn-in infield.

"I've never had a walk-off before," Berry said. "I showed it out there, jumping around, acting crazy. You don't know what to do with yourself."

Joaquin Benoit (1-1) got the win. The Detroit bullpen shut out St. Louis after Jacob Turner allowed a run and four hits over five innings.

Lohse allowed a run and four hits over seven innings for the Cardinals, lowering his ERA to 2.85. His performance came on the heels of a complete game by Jake Westbrook in St. Louis' 3-1 win Wednesday night, but the Cardinals (35-35) fell back to .500.

"It seems like we're only one break away, and we know that they are going to come all at once and someone is going to have to pay for this," Lohse said. "We know we're a lot better than our record, but our record is where we are, and we can't go back and change that."

The 21-year-old Turner was recalled from Class AAA Toledo to make his season debut. Detroit left-hander Drew Smyly has been out because of a blister on a finger.

Turner kept the Tigers in the game while their offense struggled. He walked five and struck out three.

Fielder put Detroit in front with his long drive. There was no doubt about his 11th homer of the year.

"Kyle pitched a great game for us, but he left one 3-2 breaking ball up and Prince got all over it," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.

The lead didn't last long. With one out and men on second and third in the fifth, Matt Holliday lifted a foul fly that Detroit right fielder Don Kelly caught while almost falling into the seats. The tying run came home on the play, but after an intentional walk to Carlos Beltran, Turner got Allen Craig to fly out.

Kelly appeared unhurt after his catch but left in the eighth with a left knee contusion. He is day to day.

Turner, a first-round draft pick in 2009, posted an 8.53 ERA in three starts last year. He was named Detroit's top prospect by Baseball America earlier this year, and he pitched well against his hometown team.

Turner grew up about 25 miles outside St. Louis, and Matheny actually helped mentor him in high school.

After Turner departed, Octavio Dotel, Phil Coke, Brayan Villarreal and Benoit pitched the next five innings, holding the Cardinals to two hits and striking out six.

The Tigers are without closer Jose Valverde, who has an injured right wrist.

Daniel Descalso hit a leadoff double off Coke in the seventh, but the Cardinals couldn't get him home.

Detroit intentionally walked Beltran with first base open again in the 10th, and again the move worked. Craig popped out with men on first and second to end the threat.

Tigers catcher Alex Avila had a single in his return from a right hamstring injury.

Noteworthy

* St. Louis visits Kansas City for three games. Joe Kelly (0-0) starts for the Cardinals tonight against Vin Mazzaro (3-1).