NL NOTES: Cards pull Isringhausen from closer role

CARDINALS: Jason Isringhausen got his wish. After blowing his major league leading fifth save on Friday night in a 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cardinals’ embattled reliever will no longer close games, manager Tony La Russa said Saturday.

“He’s still prepared to pitch important innings, but for a while we’ll try to keep him out of the ninth inning,” La Russa said. “If we’re playing well, there’s still going to be games where you can’t cherry pick his situations because if we’re playing well, you need your bullpen.”

The Cardinals manager said the closing duties will be split between Ryan Franklin and Russ Springer, and that he wouldn’t shy from using a left-hander in the role against certain lineups.

Isringhausen has four blown save opportunities in his past seven appearances and is 1-4 with a 7.47 ERA. Isringhausen leads the NL with 11 saves and is eight saves shy of 300 for his career.

NATIONALS: Out since early April with a sprained lower back, first baseman Dmitri Young is ready to begin a rehab assignment.

BRAVES: Atlanta recalled Chuck James from Class AAA Richmond to start Saturday night’s game against the Pirates and placed reliever Buddy Carlyle on the 15-day disabled list with a strained neck.

BREWERS: Milwaukee must decide soon if they plan to add veteran Jeff Weaver to their rotation. Weaver, who’ll make his third Class AAA start for Nashville today in Las Vegas, struggled in his first outing, but pitched seven innings in his most recent performance on Tuesday, giving up a run off four hits. If Milwaukee doesn’t call him up by June 1, Weaver can opt out of a contract that would pay him $1.25 million in salary with a chance to earn $2.75 million more in performance bonuses.

Brewers pitcher Ben Sheets set a franchise record for strikeouts on Saturday, reaching 1,082 career strikeouts and surpassing Teddy Higuera, who pitched for Milwaukee from 1985-91 and 1993-94.

PADRES: Left-hander Glendon Rusch, who played at Shorecrest High School, was outrighted to Class AAA Portland.