MILWAUKEE -- Little did Ned Yost know that when he was answering a hypothetical question about a manager's confidence in his closer at about noon Saturday, some six hours later, the question would move into the realm of reality.

"When you've given them every opportunity," Yost answered when asked when a manager knows it 's time to change closers during his daily pregame session with reporters.

"It's unlike any other spot. When your reliever gives it up, it's not like a guy going 0-for-4 in the lineup. The spotlight is on him."

The spotlight now switches to Yost, who must determine if he has given Eric Gagne every opportunity and if Gagne no longer merits those opportunities as the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Gagne, who has five blown saves this season, didn't blow a save this time, but he failed to preserve a 3-all tie and gave up two runs in the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park.

Gagne is 1-2 with a 6.89 ERA in 17 appearances this season.

"I don't make decisions after tough games. Gagne's my closer now, " Yost said shortly after the game.

But that doesn't mean that will be the case this afternoon when the Brewers take on the Cardinals in the third game of the four-game series.

"I'll definitely look at it," Yost said. "I'll look at the sequence of the inning. But I don't sit here and make decisions 5 minutes after a tough loss. You've known me long enough to know I analyze things, give everyone the benefit of the doubt and try to make the best decision, the decision that is best for every one. I don't make rash, quick, off the handle decisions."

Yost was approached with the generic question earlier in the day because his Cardinals counterpart, Tony La Russa, was faced with the same question after Jason Isringhausen blew his fifth save in 16 attempts -- and his fourth in the last seven tries -- in Friday night's 4-3 loss to the Brewers.

"I'm just getting sick of embarrassing myself and letting my team down," Isringhausen said after the loss, a sentiment echoed by Gagne about 20 hours later. "We're going to have to figure out some kind of remedy."

Isringhausen's stand-up approach to his difficulties made La Russa's decision a little easier.

La Russa said Ryan Franklin, who picked up the save Saturday, and Russ Springer would get the save opportunities until Isringhausen is able to straighten himself out.

"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.

That could be Yost's option as well, using matchups to determine if Salomon Torres, Guillermo Mota or another of the four relievers would get a chance in lieu of Gagne.

Gagne shouldered the load after Saturday 's loss.

"We have a really special team here and every time we get some momentum going, I mess it up," said Gagne, who added that he didn't think he deserves to be pitching the ninth inning at this point.

Isringhausen, 23rd all time on the career saves list with 292, doesn 't begrudge his time out of the spotlight.

"It's a mental break more than anything," he said. "It needed to be done."