MILWAUKEE -- It doesn't take much insight to analyze the Milwaukee Brewers' latest loss, another in a string interrupted by four measly victories in their last 14 games.

All it takes is a look at two critical moments late in what became a 5-3 defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday afternoon at Miller Park, one provided by the most unexpected of sources and the other by a source who is a growing liability.

The unexpected source was catcher Jason Kendall, arguably the most baseball savvy player on the team. But when he missed a bases-loaded squeeze sign with one out in the eighth inning, the Brewers' lack of offense once again reared its ugly head as Bill Hall was left dangling between home and third for a certain second out.

"It's unacceptable," said Kendall, the veteran who in his brief time here has become a tutor and mentor to the pitching staff and his many younger teammates. Just not this time.

"I lost the game right there. I missed the sign, and I can't do that."

The expected source was closer Eric Gagne, who entered the ninth inning in a 3-all game and gave up the two runs to suffer his second loss of the season. He also has five blown saves in 14 tries and just six clean outings in 17 appearances.

"Anytime it seems we get some momentum, somehow I'm there and kill that rally," said Gagne, a one-year, $10 million experiment looking like a mistake.

"It's not discouraging. It's embarrassing. I know what I need to do; I know what I'm supposed to do; I know what I'm capable of doing. I'm not doing it. It's embarrassing. I don't know how else to say it. I need to get people out and I'm not doing it."

The Brewers rallied from a 3-0 deficit with two runs in the seventh courtesy of two bases-loaded walks and Prince Fielder's leadoff home run in the eighth. That offset the gap created when starter Ben Sheets allowed a run in the third on Skip Schumaker's grounder and two in the fourth on Chris Duncan's third homer of the season.

But that momentum began to dissipate when Kendall missed the signal for the squeeze after the Brewers loaded the bases off Russ Springer on a one-out walk to Hall, a single by J.J. Hardy and another walk to pinch-hitter Joe Dillon.

"With the third base coach (Dale Sveum) standing right next to Billy and telling him what to do, it's Jason's (fault). He missed the sign," manager Ned Yost said. "We put the squeeze on there and he was just focused on driving in the runs there and he never saw it. ...

"He doesn't miss much. He's the guy you can count on getting the job done in that situation. It happens. He was focused on driving the runs and he missed it."

That left it up to Gagne to get through the ninth and give the Brewers a chance in the bottom of the inning.

But a leadoff single by Brendan Ryan, his third hit of the game, was the beginning of the end. Schumaker followed with a single that moved Ryan to second. The Brewers caught a break when Aaron Miles was thrown out on a dribbler in front of the plate, a play that left first base open to intentionally walk Albert Pujols.

Gagne got Rick Ankiel to foul out to Fielder at the edge of the Brewers' dugout. But Ryan Ludwick, who entered as a pinch-hitter for Duncan in the eighth, lined a single to left for the two deciding runs.

That now leaves Yost with a critical decision about which reliever he is going to use in those late, critical situations, one he said he would not make so soon after a disappointing loss.

But Gagne may have made it for him.

"I don't deserve that ninth inning right now," he said.