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The early hole the Cardinals found themselves in against the Brewers after starter Erick Fedde allowed three runs to begin his start Sunday at Busch Stadium proved too difficult to overcome.

The early three-run deficit grew to seven by the fourth inning and culminated in a 7-1 Cardinals loss to wrap a three-game weekend series that began with ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ winning the first two games against Milwaukee.

Fedde, who entered his start with a 3.33 ERA in 27 innings, was hit for three runs in the first inning and another four in the fourth before being lifted after 5 2/3 innings of work and 103 pitches (67 strikes). The right-hander’s seven runs and 10 hits allowed were season highs. The 10 hits he gave up matched a career high. The outing bloated his ERA to 4.68 through six starts.

Having allowed 14 walks to begin this season, Fedde walked two of the first three batters he faced Sunday before surrendering three hits that produced three runs to the next three batters he faced. In the fourth inning, all four runs allowed by Fedde came before he secured two outs in the frame.

Facing Jose Quintana, who pitched for the Cardinals (12-16) in the second half of 2022 after being acquired at the trade deadline, Cardinals hitters were held to one run on five hits and three walks. They combined for six strikeouts, five of which were looking.

The Cardinals’ lone run vs. Milwaukee’s left-hander came on an RBI double in the fifth inning from Brendan Donovan. Donovan worked a 3-2 count against Quintana before pulling a sinker to right field that scored Lars Nootbaar.

Big innings hurt Fedde

Coming into Sunday’s start having allowed three runs in his past 18 innings, Fedde allowed three runs on three hits and two walks before he could record a second out vs. the Brewers. Fedde faced eight batters that inning, which marked one of two innings where he faced that many hitters.

The right-hander’s struggles surfaced again in the fourth inning when the Brewers strung together four consecutive hits and pushed across two more runs to begin the frame before Fedde paused their momentum with a strikeout looking against Jackson Chourio. That momentum resumed in the at-bat following Chourio’s when Christian Yelich singled home two runs.

Fedde’s inability to keep the Brewers in check in the fourth inning came as they swung early in counts against the Cardinals starter.

The first run that inning came on a single to right field from Caleb Durbin, a Washington University product, on a 2-0 sinker. Brice Turang followed behind him by singling on the first pitch he saw. Similarly, Yelich pulled a first-pitch sweeper to right field to produce two RBIs on a single that pushed the Brewers to a 7-0 lead.

Cards caught looking

Including a leadoff strikeout of Nootbaar, who went down looking, three of the first six Cardinals who stepped to the plate against Quintana saw a called third strike against them.

During the second inning, Quintana froze Luken Baker on a 3-2 sinker after Baker had a 2-0 count to begin the at-bat. Baker, who fouled off a 90.4 mph sinker thrown down the middle of the strike zone and whiffed at a curveball in his first at-bat, also struck out looking in the fifth inning when he took a 1-2 sinker near the middle of the strike zone.

After Thomas Saggese fell into an 0-2 count on a foul ball and a whiff on a sinker in the second inning, Quintana notched a strikeout by dotting a 1-2 sinker on the low outside corner.

Donovan and Nolan Arenado both worked full counts in the third inning, and both struck out looking on sinkers.

Quintana got 13 called strikes with his sinker but just four swings and misses on it. Cardinals hitters got two hits against the lefty’s sinker, both of which were singles by Nootbaar and Jordan Walker.

Romero get work in relief

After Fedde was lifted from the series finale, left-hander JoJo Romero entered in relief, marking his first outing since giving up two runs in 1/3 of an inning during a road game Wednesday vs. the Braves.

The appearance came with a runner on second base and two outs in the sixth inning after Fedde’s exit. The opportunity for a low-leverage spot with a runner on came against Yelich as the Cardinals try to get Romero back on track.

Romero struck out Yelich swinging on a slider to finish off a six-pitch at-bat that began with two called strikes. Romero returned to begin the seventh inning. He walked one batter and recorded an out on a sacrifice bunt before rookie Matt Svanson replaced him.