On day where the Cubs pitching staff has to cover at least 14 innings, Kyle Hendricks shouldered nearly half of the workload himself.

He went 6.1 innings in Game 1 and allowed only 3 hits, but took the loss as the Cubs’ bats went quiet in a 3-1 defeat.

Ian Happ hit a solo homer in the 4th inning to account for the only Cubs run of the game and the Cardinals bullpen combined to throw 3.1 innings of perfect relief.

“Just need one of those to fall,” David Ross said of the offense. “Going through a bit of a rut right now.”

Hendricks struck out 5 and did not walk a batter, serving up a home run to Dexter Fowler in the 3rd inning. He got into some trouble in the 7th with a leadoff double by Paul Goldschmidt followed by a walk and a single. After a forceout at home, Hendricks departed for Rowan Wick, who gave up a go-ahead 2-run double to Brad Miller.

“In that 7th inning, I just didn’t make good pitches,” Hendricks said. “Don’t have to be perfect. My execution there in the 7th was not good, so I just have to do better.”

It was the Cubs’ fourth straight loss and their record now sits at 13-7 on the season.

“Nothing wrong. Obviously we were right in every [loss],” Hendricks said. “Just gotta get that one play to push us across. Those are the plays we were making when we were winning. I was just really upset with myself there. I gotta go out there and stop that streak for us.”