Joseph Romero: Everything you need to know

Romero was charged with a blown save after allowing a hit and striking out one over one inning during a 2-1 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday. He allowed two inherited runners to score. Starter Dustin May fired seven no-hit frames before giving up two hits to open the eighth, and Romero was called upon to escape the jam. The left-hander nearly did so unscathed, inducing a fielder's choice grounder and recording strikeout before a single and an error brought home two runs for Milwaukee. Despite the blown save, Romero has been cruising through his last 10 appearances, tallying six holds and allowing just one earned run while striking out 12 through 10.2 innings.

Romero took the loss in Sunday's game against the Mariners, serving up tiebreaking solo home run in the top of the ninth inning. Romero initially had Rob Refsnyder struck out on a called strike three, but Refsnyder successfully had the call overturned and then proceeded to club his second home run of the season. After being unscored upon in his first 10 appearances of the season, Romero has yielded a total of six runs over 2.1 frames covering his last three outings. The left-hander has notched seven holds this season and will remain the Cardinals' primary left-handed setup man, despite the recent rough stretch.

Romero struck out one in a perfect inning to record his first hold of the season in Saturday's extra-inning victory over Tampa Bay. The left-handed Romero was summoned in the eighth inning with a two-run lead and two lefty bats due up, but he wound up facing three righties after the Rays used a pair of pinch hitters. He needed 17 pitches to dispose of the Rays in order. Ryne Stanek has been used for both save chances for the Cardinals but has blown one opportunity and allowed six runners to reach base. Romero will continue to be used in high-leverage situations and get some save chances when the opposition has left-handed hitters due up, though the latter type of outings could be few and far between.