The St Louis Cardinals scored early, but that one run from Willson Contreras didn’t hold as the Texas Rangers claimed the series with an 8-1 outcome Sunday, June 1 in Arlington.

Contreras picked up the Cardinals’ lone RBI with two outs in the first, converting the leadoff walk for Lars Nootbaar into the first run of the game. The Rangers threatened in the bottom of the first with a double and a walk, but Erich Fedde was able to strikeout Corey Seager and Josh Jung, then get Alejandro Osuna to pop out. Fedde would not be as lucky in the second, when Josh Smith doubled in two runs with two outs. The Rangers would add one in the seventh with a Wyatt Langford sacrifice fly, then take the Cardinals bullpen to the cleaners with five runs in the eighth. Smith would have a two-run home run in that frame as part of his three-for-five evening with four RBIs.

Fedde took the loss, allowing two runs in six innings with four hits, three walks and five strikeouts. Despite the first-inning run, Jacob deGrom recovered to record four punchouts while allowing four hits and three walks in his six innings, claiming his fifth win of the season.

The Cardinals fall to 33-26, now tied with San Francisco for the third wild card spot while four games behind the Cubs in the NL Central. It’s a day off for the Redbirds as they prepare to host the Royals in the second half of the I-70 Series. Andre Pallante will get the start Tuesday night, with first pitch at 6:45 p.m.