ST. LOUIS - The Phillies were back in Busch Stadium last night for the first time since their remarkable 20-run explosion on June 13.

After that win, the Phils looked like a team ready to take off in the National League East. They led the Florida Marlins by four games and the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves by 7 1/2.

Despite last night's loss, the Phils still lead the division by a game over the Mets and 1 1/2 over the Marlins.

So much for taking off in the division.

As it turned out, the bats got chilly after that 20-run eruption on June 13. The Phils went 13-21 in their next 34 games and scored four or fewer runs in 23 of them.

"That happens in baseball," manager Charlie Manuel said before last night's game. "It's hard to explain. A lot of teams have trouble scoring runs at times. We scored 20 runs, and it seemed like our hitting went cold. But at the same time, I think we can hit."

Entering last night, the Phils' offense had picked up. The club had scored 40 runs in winning its previous five games.

"This is a race now, a good race," Manuel said before sending Cole Hamels to the mound against the Cardinals' Kyle Lohse. "These next two months will be like playoff baseball."

Trade deadline aftermath

The Phillies came up short in their pursuit of a lefthanded reliever before Thursday's non-waiver trade deadline. They still hope to snag one in a waiver deal, but getting lefthanded relievers through waivers might be difficult because so many teams are looking for them.

In the days leading up to the deadline, the Phils scouted San Francisco lefty Jack Taschner but were unable to make a deal. The asking prices for lefthanded relievers were high. The Phils, according to a source, pursued 37-year-old Texas lefty Eddie Guardado but found the return price (18-year-old minor-league shortstop prospect Freddy Galvis) to be too rich.

Manuel said he would keep an eye on the workload of J.C. Romero, his top lefthanded reliever. "I don't want to pitch him so much that I tire him out," Manuel said. "But as long as he's healthy and can go out there, I'll pitch him. It seems like the more he pitches, the better his command is. But I don't want to overpitch him."

Romero, who has pitched in 53 games, said he likes frequent work. "It's what I prepare myself all winter for," he said.

Happy to be here

There was some speculation that the Phillies would send lefthander J.A. Happ back to triple A yesterday, but he remained in the bullpen.

A starter by trade, Happ was summoned for depth after the bullpen carried a heavy load against Atlanta last week. Entering last night, he had not pitched since joining the bullpen.

Manuel said it would be difficult to keep Happ sharp in a bullpen role. Happ needs innings, but those can come only in blowouts - and they're only good half the time.

If Happ goes down in the coming days, he will likely be back in September. Either way, this has been a positive season for the 25-year-old, whose prospect label had dimmed last season. He had a 5.02 ERA in 24 starts at triple A in 2007. Turns out he pitched with a tender elbow and didn't tell anyone. This year, Happ is healthy, and it showed in the 3.30 ERA he had in 19 triple-A starts.

Seanez on DL

Reliever Rudy Seanez was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation after last night's game. Seanez hurt the shoulder when he was involved in a collision with Washington's Lastings Milledge in the ninth inning Thursday night. The Phils purchased the contract of veteran lefthander Les Walrond from triple-A Lehigh Valley. Walrond struck out 17 in a game against Louisville on July 6.

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Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com.