The Atlanta Braves are all of a sudden having a hard time winning games. Not even ace Spencer Strider could prevent the team from suffering their third loss in a row, as the pitcher himself struggled on the mound during Wednesday's 11-6 defeat at the hands of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals.

Strider was clobbered by the Cardinals early, resulting in a short stint for the Cy Young Award candidate. He was pulled after just 2.2 innings of mound duty but not before he allowed six earned runs on six hits, while also allowing three walks. It was clearly not the best night of Strider.

“At some point, I have to figure out how to be effective when everything doesn’t go my way, otherwise it’s going to keep happening,” Spencer Strider said following the loss (via David O'Brien of The Athletic). “I’ve got to figure out how to be effective when everything’s not lined up, where I don’t feel good, or they’re taking good swings or whatever it is. I’ve got to give us a chance to win, and I didn’t do it.”

The loss to the Cardinals was also the first start this September of Strider, who pitched on Wednesday on the heels of a blazing August performance. In six appearances last month, Strider went 5-1 with a 2.97 ERA. However, he looked shaky and got saved by the Braves offense in his last start prior to the Cardinals game, surrendering four earned runs in six innings during an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 31.

In any case, Strider can rebound right away when he gets the ball in his scheduled start on Sep. 11 against the Philadelphia Phillies on the road.