San Francisco (40-34) at St. Louis (41-36)

The St. Louis Cardinals traded for Mark DeRosa(notes) to help spark an inconsistent lineup that’s struggled despite another MVP-caliber season from Albert Pujols(notes).

DeRosa failed to make an impact in his first game with the club, and he’ll likely have his work cut out for him in his second.

After going hitless in his second debut with a new team in three months, DeRosa will try to solve reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum(notes) as the Cardinals and San Francisco Giants open a four-game series Monday night in St. Louis.

St. Louis (41-36) acquired DeRosa from Cleveland on Saturday night, hoping the versatile infielder could provide some protection for Pujols and jump-start an offense that had totaled eight runs and batted .214 while dropping three of its last four games before the trade.

“We’ve been struggling,” manager Tony La Russa said. “For a while we’ve been having guys leave the park not happy and adding a bat will help them relax some. That’s the plan. Now follow that plan.”

DeRosa, who batted .270 with 13 homers and 50 RBIs in 71 games with last-place Cleveland this season after enjoying a career-year for the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs in 2008, admitted he was happy to join a contender.

“I just want to be a piece to the puzzle,” DeRosa said. “I’m excited to be here and to be back in the National League and be a part of a division race that I have a lot of familiarity with.”

DeRosa didn’t have a particularly promising debut with the Cardinals on Sunday, going 0 for 3 with a walk as St. Louis totaled seven hits in a 6-2 loss to Minnesota.

“It’s never good when the outcome’s a loss,” DeRosa said. “I was a little overanxious the first couple of ABs, but I felt comfortable. And the guys are great here, I can tell there’s a vibe I haven’t felt in a while.”

Getting his first hit for St. Louis could be tough against Lincecum (7-2, 2.57 ERA). San Francisco’s ace has gone 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA during a streak of seven consecutive quality starts. He held Oakland to one run and seven hits while striking out 12 in a 4-1 victory Tuesday, his fourth career complete game and second in his last three outings.

“There’s something special about that kid,” Giants catcher Bengie Molina(notes) said.

Lincecum is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals. DeRosa is 2 for 9 (.222) with two walks and two strikeouts against the right-hander, while Pujols has two singles and two strikeouts in five career at-bats against him.

The Giants (40-34) avoided a three-game sweep at Milwaukee with a 7-0 victory Sunday. Nate Schierholtz(notes) homered and finished with four hits and two runs scored. It was the fourth multi-hit performance in five games for Schierholtz, who’s 12 for 21 (.571) with two homers, three RBIs and five runs scored in that stretch.

Schierholtz hopes to continue his hot streak against St. Louis starter Brad Thompson(notes) (2-3, 4.50). The right-hander was 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA in his first four outings after being moved into the starting rotation, but gave up five runs in five innings of an 11-0 road loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday.

Thompson has no decisions and a 2.13 ERA in six career games - one start - against the Giants.

San Francisco won two of three against St. Louis in the teams’ first series of the year May 29-31. Pujols, leading the majors with 28 homers and 74 RBIs, was 7 for 11 (.636) with two homers and four runs scored in that series.