by BY JOE STRAUSS ¿ jstrauss@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8371 , St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Adam Wainwright, Kyle Lohse, Joel Pi?eiro and Todd Wellemeyer embraced the new look as a way to change the team's ebbing fortunes last week. Entering Wednesday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, the new look had translated to five wins in six games and a two-game lead in the NL Central.

"We were sitting around thinking of something to do and one of the other guys said we should mix it up. We wondered how we could do it and ended up cutting mustaches that night. We won the next day," recalled Wainwright.

The decision was made June 30, the day Chris Carpenter absorbed his roughest beating of the season in a 6-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants. That day, third baseman Mark DeRosa left the game with a torn tendon sheath near his left wrist.

"It's just something to do, to make guys laugh and have some fun," said Pi?eiro, the first to emerge with the new look. "It's something where you can make fun of each other."

Since Carpenter signed on the following day, the rotation carried a 2.06 ERA (10 ER, 43 2/3 innings) into Wednesday's game.

Wainwright surrendered one run in nine innings in a no-decision July 1. Wellemeyer followed with his best start of the season. Carpenter bounced back with a dominant performance in Sunday's 10-1 win in Cincinnati. Wainwright then came within two outs of his first career shutout Tuesday.

Reliever Josh Kinney returned from Memphis with a fully developed mustache to go with a beard. Outfielders Chris Duncan, Colby Rasmus and Ryan Ludwick are getting there.

Brad Thompson suffered the only hiccup during the run, allowing four earned runs in five innings Saturday. Thompson is also the only starter without facial hair.

"Look at me. Two swipes of the razor and I'm done shaving," pleaded the boyish, follicularly challenged Thompson.

The idea is even growing on manager Tony La Russa.

"The better they pitch, the better it looks," La Russa said. "I thought (Tuesday) night Wainwright looked gorgeous."

Wainwright has had to convert his wife Jenny to the idea, even escaping an ambush.

"I woke up one morning and was walking downstairs and she came flying out of nowhere with one of those nose and ear trimmer things and tried to clip it," Wainwright said.

For now, the hair stays.

"I will grow a mustache bigger than Wyatt Earp's if we keep winning," insisted Wainwright.

Lohse probable for Sunday

The Cardinals were thrilled with Lohse's second rehab start, a six-inning scoreless outing for Class AAA Memphis against Round Rock on Tuesday night. La Russa confirmed Lohse will start part of Sunday's day-night doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs but stopped short of committing to either half.

It's more likely, however, that Lohse will work the nationally televised nightcap after Wainwright pitches the opener. Logic holds that the more durable pitcher starts the opener to save as much bullpen as possible for the second game. Wainwright entered Wednesday leading the league in innings pitched. Lohse will make his first NL start since June 3.

Et Cetera

Cardinals minor league pitcher Francisco Samuel has been added to the World team for Sunday's Futures Game. He becomes the Cardinals' third representative, along with Memphis third baseman Brett Wallace and Springfield outfielder Daryl Jones. ... La Russa said he has spoken to first baseman Albert Pujols about his participation in Monday's All-Star Home Run Derby. La Russa says he's concerned about the length of the event. La Russa has asked Pujols to notify the team if he even tweaks his fragile right elbow this weekend. La Russa says that at present Pujols' elbow does not represent more than normal cause for concern. ... Struggling outfielder Rick Ankiel was not in Wednesday's starting lineup after striking out four times within an 0-for-five Tuesday. Ankiel is six for 47 since his five-game hitting streak ended June 22. His overall average had dropped from .248 to .222 in that span.

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